Oceans cover a dear percentage of our planet , yetwe know lessabout the ocean floor than we do about Mars or Venus . But as technology races ahead , so do scientists , who are working tight to memorize about these reeking expanses . Today , the National Science Foundation ( NSF ) declare that seven Modern submerged observatories have begun channel data , include alive video streamfrom a seamount in the Pacific .
This Clarence Shepard Day Jr. was a long time coming , reportsAlexandra Witze inNature . The Ocean Observatories Initiative , or OOI , has been in the study for 10 years and be $ 386 million . Like so many governance science projects , the OOI has had its share of holdups . “ It has been stressful , ” NSF ocean sciences director Richard Murray recount Witze . “ It ’s not for the vague - hearted . ”
Unlike Cousteau’sConshelf , the new observatories are unmanned , a fact that does away with some obstacles whilecreating others . Still , as of today , the projection ’s 900 sensors are up and run , transmitting from situation off the coast of Oregon , New York , Alaska , Greenland , Argentina , and Chile . If oceanography datum floats your boat , channelize over to theOOI websiteto explore the transmissions in real time .
If you ’re more the visual case , you ’ll desire to check out the project ’s stream video , which transmits live from a hydrothermal vent-hole on the Axial Seamount for 14 bit every three hours . You might think a vent spirt 500 ° F mineral water would be a destitute and inhospitable position , but in fact the neighbourhood is dumbly populate with sea snails , ocean spiders , vacuum tube dirt ball , palm worms , and limpets .
To melodic phrase in , just cruise over to thelive feedat 2:00 , 5:00 , 8:00 , or 11:00 ET and PT , daylight or Nox . The tube worms have no bedtime . They ’ll be up . ( Missed the last transmission ? you’re able to also ascertain previous streams . )
