Monday 5 October 2009

The Deep Sea Oasis

In recent years scientists have been amazed by “islands” of life on the ocean floor, where deep-sea species thrive around volcanic vents. Dr Jon Copley will examine why they are important, and the unexpected spin-offs from exploring the half of our planet covered by water more than two miles deep.

Jon Copley is a marine ecologist, trying to understand the patterns of life in island-like habitats beneath the waves. He works at the University of Southampton, in the National Oceanography Centre. Much of his research is focused on exploring newly-discovered “islands” of life on the ocean floor, where colonies of deep-sea species thrive around chemical sources of energy such as volcanic vents.

This event took place on the 1st October 2009 at Science Oxford Live.

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