The Maiden Voyage: Illuminating The Red Sea

The Maiden Voyage: Illuminating The Red Sea

The Maiden Voyage: Illuminating The Red Sea

Dive In
Location

Red Sea

Partners

Bloomberg Philanthropies' Vibrant Oceans Initiative

Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

Release Date

November 2020

Location

Red Sea

Partners

Bloomberg Philanthropies' Vibrant Oceans Initiative
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

Release Date

November 2020

On the ship’s maiden mission, an unrivaled team of oceanographers and scientists set out to answer one question: How do species in the Red Sea thrive where others would die? 

Overview

The Red Sea is one of Earth’s best natural laboratories, with extreme water temperatures and high salinity and a range of habitats rarely found elsewhere on the planet. It’s here that Earth is conducting evolutionary experiments that can teach us how to protect coral reefs and marine species all over the world. Under-explored and incredibly diverse, the Red Sea was the perfect place to put OceanXplorer’s incredible technology to the test on a mission spanning marine science disciplines and venturing from the shoreline to the deep.

Findings

The timing couldn’t be more critical, with sea temperatures rising and coral bleaching devastating vital ecosystems worldwide. But in just a few weeks, this first-of-its-kind multidisciplinary evaluation has uncovered groundbreaking discoveries:

  • Abundant sightings of megafauna, including species previously undocumented in the Red Sea
  • Multiple sites with thriving, climate-change resistant corals
  • Unique geological features and samples that date more than 50,000 years old.

"We hope the data gathered proves invaluable in supporting the preservation and regeneration of marine ecosystems and coral reefs around the world.”

"We hope the data gathered proves invaluable in supporting the preservation and regeneration of marine ecosystems and coral reefs around the world.”

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Our vision is to create a deeply engaged global community of explorers, scientists, and storytellers dedicated to educating, inspiring, and protecting the oceans in order to drive positive change. Please contact us if you are interested in licensing the use of our audiovisual or photographic content relating to the oceans and marine life. OceanX is a nonprofit initiative of the Dalio Philanthropies (www.daliophilanthropies.org) bringing science to life through captivating storytelling.