The oceans absorb nearly 1/3 of our carbon emissions; they are literally the world's lungs. How does the sea 'breathe', and why does it do it?
Our oceans absorb nearly a third of the world’s carbon emissions, a ‘breathing’ process that produces much of the oxygen we take in on a daily basis. As carbon levels increase so too do the acidity levels of our oceans, a process known as Ocean Acidification and one that damages our marine life.
In this Garden talk, Dr. Veronique Oldham takes us on a deep dive into the inner workings of our oceans, revealing the fascinating story of how some people dumped iron in the ocean to encourage the growth of carbon-munching marine phytoplankton - and ended up with nothing more than dead zones full of algae.
Read this talk's transcript
50 minutes
30 minute talk
20 minute Member Q&A
Veronique is an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography. She examines metal cycling in the coastal ocean, deep sea methane seeps, and in Antarctica.
Does the ocean breathe?
Does the ocean breathe?
The oceans absorb nearly 1/3 of our carbon emissions; they are literally the world's lungs. How does the sea 'breathe', and why does it do it?
Territory, food, commerce and conquest: what role have the seas played in the development of the nations we see today?
The tech required to explore the deepest parts of the ocean is coming on in leaps and bounds. What bizarre habitats and organisms have we found, and what still remains to be discovered?
There's so much left to learn about the sea and its organisms. Could the ocean be the source of the next drug to change medicine?
We know so little about the deep sea, and even less about what it's like beneath the ice of the Earth's polar regions. How does life flourish in one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet?
More than 75% of sea creatures produce their own light. How do they do it, and what can we learn from this incredible marine firework display?