Latest news with #OceanX
Straits Times
a day ago
- Science
- Straits Times
S'pore researchers to go on deep sea expedition with non-profit OceanX in October: Vivian
The expedition will bring together scientists from the region, especially other small island developing states. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN S'pore researchers to go on deep sea expedition with non-profit OceanX in October: Vivian – Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) are planning to embark on a deep sea biodiversity expedition to the high seas in the eastern Indian Ocean in October 2025, said Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan on June 10. The expedition, in collaboration with US-headquartered non-profit OceanX, will also bring together scientists from the region, especially other small island developing states, Dr Balakrishnan said as he delivered Singapore's national statement at the UN Ocean Conference taking place in Nice, France. 'This will give (researchers) an opportunity to document and to survey deep sea biological material,' he said, adding that the findings will help to deepen understanding of the oceans. The Indian Ocean is the body of water between South-east Asia and the African continent. The high seas, which make up about two-thirds of the ocean, refer to ocean areas outside national jurisdictions. Dr Balakrishnan on June 9 said, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis), that it was important for small island developing states to lead, and not just participate in, ocean-related scientific expeditions. Aosis is a grouping of 39 small-island and low-lying coastal developing states including Singapore, Palau, the Maldives and Belize. Mr Mark Dalio, founder and co-chief executive of OceanX, told The Straits Times that its partnership with NUS 'reflects OceanX's ongoing commitment to advance ocean science in South-east Asia'. 'This mission will generate vital data on deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystem health, strengthen the region's scientific knowledge base, and support informed decision-making for ocean stewardship,' he said. 'We're proud to enable this next chapter of exploration into one of the region's least studied environments.' Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore believes the expedition will contribute to the shared global goals of advancing ocean science education and capacity building. In his address to the summit, which brings together 193 UN member states, the minister said the ocean is under severe threat from rising temperatures, acidification, overfishing and plastic pollution. 'As a low-lying coastal city state, Singapore is at risk due to rising sea levels, coastal erosion and the risk of flooding,' he added. These challenges demand a multilateral solution – one that is underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), said Dr Balakrishnan. Unclos sets out the legal framework for all activities carried out in the oceans and seas. In 2023, Singapore helped to broker an agreement under Unclos on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity outside national jurisdictions. The High Seas Treaty, officially called the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, will enter into force after 60 countries ratify it. French President Emmanuel Macron said on June 9 that 55 countries have done so. Singapore ratified the agreement in September 2024. Dr Balakrishnan said it was crucial for this treaty to enter into force if the ocean and marine resources are to be conserved and sustainably used, and urged other countries to ratify the agreement. He also said that Singapore would be renewing 15 of the past voluntary commitments it made to support ocean health, and undertaking 12 new ones. Past commitments include environmental research programmes such as the Marine Climate Change Science programme and efforts to promote green financing in the maritime industry. It also conducted ocean-related courses for fellow developing countries, such as on how coastal biodiversity can be managed under urban pressures. On the new commitments, Dr Balakrishnan pointed to Singapore's first seagrass restoration project, launched in September 2024, saying these ecosystems will contribute to global climate efforts given that these habitats are the 'lungs of the sea'. He also cited the 100k Corals Initiative, which was launched in December 2024 with the aim of planting 100,000 corals in Singapore's waters in the next decade and beyond. 'We believe this effort will support marine biodiversity and protect us from coral erosion in the seas around Singapore,' he added. Singapore will also continue to provide capacity building assistance to developing countries to address ocean-related challenges, Dr Balakrishnan said. The Republic has conducted over 60 courses for more than 1,600 foreign officials under the Singapore Cooperation Programme Sustainability Action Package. 'Over the next year, we will conduct more of such courses on the state of blue carbon science, policy, finance and achieving high quality outcomes,' he said. Dr Balakrishnan added: 'Singapore commits to working with all our partners to restore the health and to enhance the resilience of our oceans. The choices we make today will define the legacy we leave behind for our future generations.' Audrey Tan is an assistant news editor overseeing sustainability coverage. She has reported on the environment for more than a decade and hosts the Green Pulse podcast series. Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Science
- Economic Times
This filmmaker went deep into the ocean and filmed what science still struggles to fully understand
The deep sea remains one of the most mysterious and least explored places on Earth. Home to countless unknown species and unexplained natural phenomena, it continues to fascinate scientists and explorers alike. One such mystery—an elusive bioluminescent display known as a 'flashback'—has long evaded documentation. Now, filmmaker Jacob Harrell, along with a scientific team from OceanX, has managed to capture this rare light event deep in the Indian Ocean, offering a rare glimpse into a phenomenon that science still struggles to fully understand. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Understanding Bioluminescence: A Deep-Sea Puzzle Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Challenge of Capturing Flashbacks The deep sea remains one of the most mysterious and least explored places on Earth. Home to countless unknown species and unexplained natural phenomena, it continues to fascinate scientists and explorers alike. One such mystery—an elusive bioluminescent display known as a 'flashback'—has long evaded documentation. Now, filmmaker Jacob Harrell, along with a scientific team from OceanX, has managed to capture this rare light event deep in the Indian Ocean, offering a rare glimpse into a phenomenon that science still struggles to fully mission took him aboard a state-of-the-art exploration vessel outfitted with the latest oceanographic technology. His primary objective was to film the mysterious flashback phenomenon—an event so uncommon and difficult to record that it has evaded documentation for years. Alongside this task, the team also aimed to contribute to marine biodiversity reports to support the Indonesian government's conservation are a form of bioluminescence, a natural process where living organisms emit light through chemical reactions. According to Mattie, the science program director at OceanXplorer, 'When we're talking about flashback, we're talking about bioluminescence in general which basically is animals or organisms that make their own light.'Bioluminescence is relatively rare on land, but in the ocean—especially between depths of 200 to 1,000 meters—it is strikingly common. Harrell noted that approximately 80% of animals living within this range are bioluminescent. This includes various fish, squid, jellyfish, siphonophores, comb jellies, and other water-dominant species, many of which fall under the category of gelatinous being a well-documented biological capability, the reason behind this light production remains largely speculative. Mattie explained the scientific dilemma: 'This one animal might use it for attracting prey, this other animal might use it for escaping or creating a diversion. These other animals might use it as a form of communication. Like, we really don't know because it's so difficult to access the depths of the ocean where bioluminescence occurs.'The light emitted can vary in color—commonly blue, but also red, green, or violet depending on the species. The glow is produced by a chemical reaction involving an enzyme and a substrate, though the specific compounds may differ between flashbacks presented significant technical and environmental challenges. The process requires the activation of strong artificial light beams to provoke a reaction from bioluminescent organisms. However, this intense light can cause organisms to flee or disorient those that are sensitive to brightness, making sightings Harrell and his team managed to observe a subdued flashback while stationed at a depth of approximately 375 meters on the ocean floor. With large beams of light radiating through the darkness, they witnessed a fleeting yet visually stunning display of bioluminescence above the footage only captured a mild version of the phenomenon, it marks a significant step in bringing visibility to one of the ocean's many unresolved mysteries.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
This filmmaker went deep into the ocean and filmed what science still struggles to fully understand
The deep sea remains one of the most mysterious and least explored places on Earth. Home to countless unknown species and unexplained natural phenomena, it continues to fascinate scientists and explorers alike. One such mystery—an elusive bioluminescent display known as a 'flashback'—has long evaded documentation. Now, filmmaker Jacob Harrell, along with a scientific team from OceanX, has managed to capture this rare light event deep in the Indian Ocean, offering a rare glimpse into a phenomenon that science still struggles to fully understand. Harrell's mission took him aboard a state-of-the-art exploration vessel outfitted with the latest oceanographic technology. His primary objective was to film the mysterious flashback phenomenon—an event so uncommon and difficult to record that it has evaded documentation for years. Alongside this task, the team also aimed to contribute to marine biodiversity reports to support the Indonesian government's conservation initiatives. Flashbacks are a form of bioluminescence, a natural process where living organisms emit light through chemical reactions. According to Mattie, the science program director at OceanXplorer, 'When we're talking about flashback, we're talking about bioluminescence in general which basically is animals or organisms that make their own light.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People In Kerala Say Goodbye To Mosquitoes With This Revolutionary Solution Mosquito Eliminator Read More Undo Understanding Bioluminescence: A Deep-Sea Puzzle Bioluminescence is relatively rare on land, but in the ocean—especially between depths of 200 to 1,000 meters—it is strikingly common. Harrell noted that approximately 80% of animals living within this range are bioluminescent. This includes various fish, squid, jellyfish, siphonophores, comb jellies, and other water-dominant species, many of which fall under the category of gelatinous zooplankton. Despite being a well-documented biological capability, the reason behind this light production remains largely speculative. Mattie explained the scientific dilemma: 'This one animal might use it for attracting prey, this other animal might use it for escaping or creating a diversion. These other animals might use it as a form of communication. Like, we really don't know because it's so difficult to access the depths of the ocean where bioluminescence occurs.' The light emitted can vary in color—commonly blue, but also red, green, or violet depending on the species. The glow is produced by a chemical reaction involving an enzyme and a substrate, though the specific compounds may differ between organisms. The Challenge of Capturing Flashbacks Documenting flashbacks presented significant technical and environmental challenges. The process requires the activation of strong artificial light beams to provoke a reaction from bioluminescent organisms. However, this intense light can cause organisms to flee or disorient those that are sensitive to brightness, making sightings unpredictable. Nevertheless, Harrell and his team managed to observe a subdued flashback while stationed at a depth of approximately 375 meters on the ocean floor. With large beams of light radiating through the darkness, they witnessed a fleeting yet visually stunning display of bioluminescence above them. While the footage only captured a mild version of the phenomenon, it marks a significant step in bringing visibility to one of the ocean's many unresolved mysteries.
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Pelorus Travel expedition will search for sunken treasure near Panama
Want to embark on a treasure hunt for $24 million in gold, silver and gems? Look no further than Pelorus Travel. The bespoke luxury tour operator is offering a rare and ambitious experience this summer: to participate in a hunt for the Maurepas shipwreck and its treasure. The ship disappeared in 1699 near the Isthmus of Darien. The Guna people, an indigenous community in Panama, has known the shipwreck's location but kept it secret to protect their waters, Pelorus said. Diving in their waters is forbidden. But now, the community has granted exclusive access to the tour operator to try to unearth the fortune. If the treasure is located, 70% of the sales will go to the Guna Yala community and each treasure hunter will receive 4.94% return of the 30% share of the sales, the operator said. The expedition will be operated June through November alongside the Ocean X team and is also the subject of a documentary. Travelers will receive a $25,000 bonus from the film if the lost treasure is located. Pelorus is billing this adventure as a once-in-lifetime opportunity. The itinerary will feature the opportunity to explore the Guna Yala waters on a luxury catamaran or yacht; go diving to explore the seabed alongside the Ocean X team; and connect with the Guna people.
