Latest news with #NipponFoundation-NektonOceanCensus
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists uncover hundreds of unknown ocean species in historic expedition: 'We are laying the groundwork'
Scientists have discovered 866 new marine species, including a guitar shark, a deep-sea mollusk with cancer treatment potential, and the first octocoral found in the Maldives, Oceanographic Magazine reported. The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census looks to change how scientists identify new marine species by speeding up the process. This discovery marks a "significant step" in advancing our understanding of ocean biodiversity. Traditional methods can take up to 14 years, but this international collaborative effort of 800 scientists from over 400 institutions is changing the approach. Many species go extinct before they're documented. The mission's executive director explained that while oceans cover 71% of our planet, only about 10% of marine life has been discovered. By accelerating identification, scientists can better protect these species. Some of these discoveries might directly benefit your health. The newly found deep-sea mollusk produces peptides with potential applications in pain relief and cancer treatment. You can now access this information through the newly launched Ocean Census Biodiversity Data Platform. The public database was developed with the U.N. Environment Programme and showcases species found at depths ranging from one to nearly 5,000 meters. The mission has conducted 10 global expeditions and has hosted eight Species Discovery Workshops. They've found new species of sharks, sea butterflies, mud dragons, bamboo corals, water bears, shrimp, crabs, reef fish, and many more creatures from dozens of taxonomic groups. "Every new species — whether a shark or a sponge — deepens our understanding of marine ecosystems and the benefits they provide for the planet," said professor Lucy Woodall, head of science at Ocean Census. Oliver Steeds, director of Ocean Census, added: "Our estimates suggest that discovering 100,000 new species could require at least $1 billion. We are laying the groundwork to make large-scale species discovery a reality." The team plans to provide more Species Discovery Awards, undertake 10 new expeditions, and host additional workshops across the Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans in the coming year. Should we be harnessing the ocean to power our homes? Absolutely Leave it be It depends I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Colossal Squid Finally Captured On Film, 100 Years After Its Discovery
An image from the first confirmed live observation of the colossal squid live in its natural ... More habitat. Big news about the colossal squid: Scientists have captured what they say is the first-ever confirmed footage of the elusive creature alive in its natural environment deep below the ocean's surface. The colossal squid, or Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, is a member of the glass squid family known for its staggering size. It can grow to be between 23 and 46 feet long and weigh as much as 1,100 pounds, making it the heaviest invertebrate on the planet and proving that its name is no exaggeration. Scientists and crew aboard a Schmidt Ocean Institute research vessel captured the footage during an expedition in the South Atlantic Ocean expedition near the South Sandwich Islands about 430 miles southeast of South Georgia. The film's star is a baby who measures nearly a foot long. The world's first intact adult male colossal squid gets hauled aboard a New Zealand fishing boat in ... More 2007 in the Ross Sea near Antarctica. 'It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,' Kat Bolstad, an ecology professor at the Auckland University of Technology and one of the independent scientific experts who verified the footage, said in a statement. 'For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish.' Sperm whales are their main predator. The Schmidt Ocean Institute's remote operated vehicle 'Subastian' spotted the deep-sea on March 9 as it descended to the sea floor in search of new marine life, and the institute shared the footage on Tuesday. For the during a 35-day Ocean Census expedition, the Schmidt Ocean Institute collaborated with the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, and GoSouth, a joint project between the U.K.'s University of Plymouth, the Geomar Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Germany and the British Antarctic Survey. Colossal squid have hooks on the middle of their eight arms and two longer tentacles. In the footage, the hooks are clearly visible on the end of those tentacles as the transparent baby floats in the dark water like something out of a dream. The images mark an exciting step forward in understanding the colossal squid, said Matt Mulrennnan, a marine scientist and founder and CEO of Kolossal, an ocean exploration nonprofit unconnected to the newly released footage. 'The more colossal-sized adults are still out there in the deep waters off Antarctica and will be even more challenging to film, so the hunt continues,' he said in an email interview. During expeditions in Antarctica between 2022 and 2023, Kolossal captured its own glass squid footage, which is still being analyzed to determine whether it represents the first juvenile colossal squid sighting. Kolossal researchers are currently studying the new squid footage in an attempt to confirm whether the 2023 finding was a juvenile colossal squid, or one of two other species of glass squid in Antarctica. 'There are many similarities in color, shape, size and depths, and so far nothing has been ruled out by the experts,' Mulrennnan said. The colossal squid has been known to science since 1925, when researchers described the first specimen based on two tentacles found inside a whale's stomach. This year, therefore, marks 100 years since the identification and formal naming of the colossal squid. The footage is quite an anniversary present.
The Guardian
16-04-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Live colossal squid captured on video in wild for first time ever
The colossal squid, the heaviest invertebrate in the world, has been filmed alive in the wild for the first time since it was identified a century ago. Growing up to seven metres long and weighing up to half a tonne, the squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, is the heaviest invertebrate on the planet. The individual captured on film near the South Sandwich Islands, in the south Atlantic Ocean, is a baby, at just 30cm in length. The video, taken by an international team of scientists and researchers on board the Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel, Falkor, shows the almost transparent juvenile, with eight arms, swimming in its natural habitat, the deep sea. It was captured on video by a remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian, while on a 35-day expedition searching for new marine life. 'These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved,' Virmani said. For 100 years, the animal, a type of glass squid, had only been seen in the stomachs of whales and seabirds. Dying adults have previously been filmed in the nets of fishermen, but it had have never been seen alive at depth. Little is known about the life cycle of the colossal squid, which loses its transparent appearance as an adult. It took days for the team aboard the Falkor to get verification of the footage. The squid has sharp hooks on the end of its tentacles, which distinguish it from other glass squid species. 'It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,' said Dr Kat Bolstad of the Auckland University of Technology, one of the independent scientific experts the team consulted to verify the footage. The expedition was a collaboration between the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census and GoSouth, a joint project between the University of Plymouth (UK), the Geomar Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (Germany) and the British Antarctic Survey. This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the identification and formal naming of the colossal squid.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colossal squid filmed in deep ocean for the first time ever
In the darkness of the South Atlantic Ocean, researchers captured for the first time footage of a live colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni). And while the elusive creature is known for its size—reaching lengths of 23 feet—this one is a baby and only one foot long. In 1925, fisherman first found the remains of a colossal squid inside a sperm whale. Over the next century, only eight adult colossal squids have been found, all postmortem. 'It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,' Dr. Kat Bolstad of the Auckland University of Technology, an independent scientific expert who was consulted to verify the footage, said in a statement. 'For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish.' A team of scientists captured the groundbreaking footage using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on March 9 while onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor (too). The 35-day expedition was part of an Ocean Census expedition searching for new marine life, and a collaboration between Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, and GoSouth, a joint project between the University of Plymouth (UK), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (Germany), and the British Antarctic Survey. The juvenile squid appears translucent as it slices through the water, but when it ages, it will become less see-through as its muscles thicken. Its large eyes—the largest of any known creature—can also be seen in the footage. Bolstad explains that the reason the squids have been so hard to find with cameras could be because of the sensitivity of their enormous eyes. 'Most of our deep-sea exploration equipment is large, noisy and uses bright lights if we are trying to film animals,' Bolsted writes on The Conversation. Dr. Jyotika Virmani, Schmidt Ocean Institute's executive director, summed up the breakthrough: 'These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the Ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved,'
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
See it: New guitar-shaped shark species discovered, along with 866 other marine wildlife
The largest global mission to discover ocean life has found over 800 new marine species, including a new guitar-shaped shark species. The discoveries were from the efforts of the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, the world's largest collaborative of over 800 scientists across 400 institutions to accelerate the discovery of new marine life. The identification and official registration of a new species can take over 13 years, which means some species may go extinct before being documented. Scientists say new reforms can speed up the process. "Too many species remain in limbo for years because the process of formally describing them is too slow," said Prof. Lucy Woodall, Head of Science at Ocean Census. "We urgently need to change that and adding the Species Discovery step gives us a way to rapidly start the process." One of the more unique discoveries is the "Guitar shark" – a shark species that resembles a guitar-like figure. It was identified at a depth of 600 feet (200 meters) off the coast of Mozambique and Tanzania by world-renowned shark expert David Ebert. This is only the 38th known guitar shark species discovered worldwide. Two-thirds of the species are threatened due to such low numbers. Massive Great White Shark Among Several Being Tracked Off Florida Coast As Spring Break Begins Additional new species such as shark, sea butterfly, mud dragon, bamboo coral, water bear, octocoral, sponge, shrimp, crab, reef fish, squat lobster, pipehorse, limpet, hooded shrimp, sea spiders, and brittle stars have been discovered/registered. All told, the census announced the discovery of 866 new marine species. To make these new discoveries, officials say all resources must be used wisely while observing these deep sea creatures. Using divers, submersibles, and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), new species can be discovered from depths as deep as 1 to 16,400 feet. "The ocean covers 71% of our planet, yet it is said that only around 10% of marine life has been discovered so far, leaving an estimated 1–2 million species still undocumented," said Executive Director Mitsuyuki Unno of The Nippon Foundation. "These latest findings demonstrate how international collaboration can advance our understanding of ocean biodiversity."Original article source: See it: New guitar-shaped shark species discovered, along with 866 other marine wildlife
