OceanX

OceanXplorer is on its way to the Philippines. While out on the open ocean, we recertified our two subs, Nadir and Neptune, and trained more sub pilots. We also made lots of progress on bringing the OceanXplorer to virtual and augmented reality. We did facial motion capture of our crew to create digital characters to add to our 3D model of the ship. We even added more educational content to our 3D dome so people can experience our tender metal shark and our submersible while on a ship tour. Keep an eye on our social media for weekly updates and follow our YouTube for even more OceanX content. As always, stay curious, and keep exploring.

This week has been all about submersibles on OceanXplorer, with two sub dives every day. Our pilots are practicing safety drills underwater, such as what to do if the sub floods while on a dive. Our ROV team has also been training on how to pilot the submersibles themselves. This would potentially give scientists and researchers even more opportunities to go on dives and see the marine life they’ve been studying up close while on OceanXplorer. Keep an eye on our social media for upcoming weekly updates and follow our YouTube channel for even more OceanX content.

After a quick stop in Malaysia, OceanXplorer has headed back out to the open ocean. We’re wrapping up recertification of our submersible, Neptune, with dry testing and wet testing. We’ll be doing lots more submersible dives next week to train more crew on how to pilot the subs. Stay tuned to learn more as we dive into that next week, and as always, stay curious, and keep exploring.

We’re excited to announce a collaboration with the Towards IPOS (International Panel for Ocean Sustainability) - hosted by the Ocean Sustainability Foundation - to advance global efforts toward ocean sustainability. This partnership will develop inclusive, science-based policy support and actionable pathways for governments and global stakeholders. Learn more about how this partnership will address the critical challenges facing our ocean and help to build impact driven solutions: 

Our science submersible, named Neptune, has been off ship in Singapore undergoing its 5 year maintenance. The sub was completely taken apart, inspected, and put back together. Now with Neptune back on board, our sub team is getting ready for our recertification dives. Stay tuned for next week to learn more about those training dives and as always, keep exploring.

A new study from Dr. Manu Prakash at Stanford University changes our understanding of how effective our oceans are at sequestrating carbon dioxide. Dr. Manu Prakash’s lab invented a rotating microscope, so they can study how fast microorganisms that remove carbon dioxide are falling to the ocean floor. They discovered never before seen mucus “parachutes” on these organisms, delaying how much carbon dioxide is absorbed out of Earth’s atmosphere. This new information will aid in making climate change predictions more accurate. Dr. Manu Prakash has been a part of the science faculty on OceanX’s Young Explorers Program and this research has been supported by Dalio Philanthropies. https://lnkd.in/gxE93iHG

🚨New Science Alert OceanX, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), and researchers from New York University Abu Dhabi and the Fujairah Research Centre, captured the first ever record of the endangered Bramble Shark in UAE waters during our 2023 mission in the region. Check out the recently released research paper 📖  https://lnkd.in/dPjT-pha Check out the YouTube video on the encounter:  https://lnkd.in/gN-XB6Fe #sharks #marinelife #conservation #marinebiology

OceanX is proud to announce a new partnership with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, marking a major step in advancing oceanographic research and conservation efforts across the Atlantic Ocean. This collaboration supports the goals of the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation—a coalition of 42 nations dedicated to a sustainable Atlantic Ocean and fostering the next generation of ocean scientists. Together, OceanX and the U.S. Department of State are committed to impactful marine research and public engagement to support a healthy Atlantic for generations to come. #OceanConservation #AtlanticPartnership #SustainableOceans (edited) https://lnkd.in/edv2uhFR

⚓ CREW TAKEOVER  Say hello to Mylene, our Nurse and Stewardess aboard OceanExplorer as this week’s guest host. We wrapped our mission in Malaysia and we’re headed back to Singapore. Before we leave Malaysia we welcomed a hundred of guests on board to check out all that we’re doing in science, ship operations, media and education. While our time here in Malaysia has come to a close, we’re excited to come back for future missions. As always, stay curious, and keep exploring.

We are wrapped on our three-week science and media operations in Malaysia. Over the course of the mission, we conducted: ·       1,291 covered in Megafauna surveys  ·       61 plankton net tows ·       16 CTD casts ·       10 ROV dives ·       12 small boat science ops (4 mapping and 8 mini ROV) ·       22 scuba dives  ·       6 eDNA sequencing runs ·       14 TB of media footage We couldn’t have done it without our 40+ OceanX crew members and 28 Scientists. This valuable data will help us gain a better understanding of Malaysian waters and the ecosystems that exist here. The mission was conducted in partnership with the Pahang State and research partners from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), with support from the Government of Malaysia and the Malaysia Ocean Research Alliance (MORA).