All posts by Alex DeCiccio

Alex DeCiccio is the Chief Editor of the Inner Space Center, as well as an avid photographer, videographer, and producer. He takes every opportunity to travel aboard research vessels as a documentarian, sharing his skills and unique philosophy with ISC partners such as the University of Rhode Island, the Ocean Exploration Trust, and National Geographic.

Black Bubbles

The Gulf of Mexico is a very “energetic” place.

The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is in the Gulf of Mexico for the whole month of April. Every discovery they make is being broadcast here to our site, live. Here is one that you may have missed.

The NOAA science team came across some interesting features on the seafloor. No sunlight penetrates 2800 meters below sea level, but organisms have to somehow begin a food chain for energy to survive. How do organisms get that energy, and what does it look like? Watch, listen, and learn as these expert scientists both on board and remotely involved via ISC discuss their findings live.

Ice That Burns

The Okeanos science team comes across a rocky outcrop, and discovers a huge abundance of animals that are usually around gas seeps or methane seeps.

The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is exploring the Gulf of Mexico for the entire month of April. From the first splash of remotely operated vehicle D2, the discoveries have been truly amazing.

Within a very narrow range of special depths, temperatures and chemical compositions, the conditions can be just right for a spectacular chemical reaction. Once released, methane bubbles from below the seabed can become frozen and suspended in structures of ice. Confused? It’s a tough one to explain. (The video clip will help.) These methane bubbles can be “trapped” in cage-like crystal structures within the ice, called methane hydrate or methane ice. Methane hydrates are very interesting. In the Gulf of Mexico, sites like this are potential sources of highly concentrated energy, naturally occurring thousands of meters below the surface of our ocean. The future for these deeply fascinating areas are unknown. One obvious statement though: they are breathtaking.

Watch below and experience this wonderful discovery with the science team.

Lionfish of Mona Passage

During the 2013 season the E/V Nautilus ventured to Puerto Rico, with some high hopes for exploration. As expected, we found an abundant population of lionfish: an invasive and problematic species in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Check out this awesome footage of lionfish in Mona Passage off the coast of Desecheo Island, and see how they interact with some of the indigenous species.

Source video copyright Ocean Exploration Trust.