Photostories
More than 30 illustrated articles about deep-sea science at sea and on land.
Life in the Deep
Deep-sea creatures: scaleworms
Deep-sea scaleworms are a source of fascination to two particular biologists.
Acid-loving, heat-loving, deep-sea microbes
Some of the first-ever photos of these creatures.
Getting the lowdown on microbes
Investigating tiny organisms that live in water and rocks kilometers below the sea's surface.
Untangling tubeworms
Two very distinct types of worm… or are they?
A tale of two snails
Have researchers discovered a new species of deep-sea snail in the South Pacific?
Mussel mysteries
Investigating mussels, snails and other animals living near hot vents.
Simulating life down under
Special on-board aquaria help researchers learn how vent animals cope with a harsh environment.
Dispersal down deep
If deep-sea creatures like tubeworms and mussels are attached to the seafloor, how do they colonize new sites kilometers away?
Tools for Exploration
Diving into the deep sea
Researchers need some hardy equipment to visit seafloor vents in person. The manned submersible Alvin has to cope with toxic, corrosive fluids, extreme temperatures and immense pressures.
Spotter subs
Pioneering biologist Tim Shank uses submersibles to home in on ocean-floor creatures.
Photomosaics
Stitching together photos to form detailed images of seafloor structures and animals.
Sampling the seafloor
The submersible Jason II acts as scientists' eyes and hands.
Chemical cocktails
Investigating the make-up of vent fluid.
Eruption forensics
How do scientists detect eruptions at deep-sea volcanoes?
Discovery of a new vent site
Located in the South Pacific's Lau Basin.
Life On-board Ship & Personal Perspectives
Expedition life
Office workers on land may have a fire drill once or twice a year. But office buildings don't usually run the risk of sinking or being boarded by pirates. Expedition researchers and crew practice for such emergencies.
Preparing for departure
Liz Podowski of Penn State University records highlights from the final 48 hours before an expedition sails
Ship phototours: Kilo Moana
The Research Vessel Kilo Moana inside and out.
Ship phototours: Melville
A short tour of the R/V Melville (named after the 19th century explorer George Wallace Melville)
Weather at sea
How the ship's Captain and Mates keep the expedition on track and plan for bad weather
Livin' with rock 'n' roll
Weeks at sea in the South Pacific may sound like fun, but living and working on a ship in constant motion can be a real challenge.
Inventiveness: a key research skill
Especially when you're hundreds of miles from the nearest source of supplies.
Is it today, tomorrow or yesterday?
Shipboard journalist Kristen Kusek gets to grips with the International Dateline.
Garbage disposal at sea
Why proper disposal of waste matters to marine wildlife.
Graduate student Charlotte Goddard
Records impressions from her first ever research expedition to the South Pacific.
Paul Asimow
Gets a chance to go to sea for the first time in more than a decade of studying ocean rocks.
From the forest to the ocean
Amy Townsend-Small usually does fieldwork in the rainforests of the Amazon. So what was she doing on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?
Tongan observer aboard
On the hunt for seafloor vents, Sisi Tonganevai was a welcome addition to the research team.
The lure of Lau
Why researchers are fascinated by areas of the seafloor between Tonga and Fiji.
Volcanoes & Vents
From fluids to solids
Discovering how mineral deposits form when hot vent fluid mixes with cold seawater.
Seismology
Listening to earthquakes yields vital data about the formation of new seafloor.
Decoding rocks
Lava from the seafloor holds clues to major Earth processes.
