Researchers have equipped tiger sharks with cameras and trackers to study the seafloor
To the scientists’ surprise, the fish led them to a spectacular discovery: the cameras filmed a huge underwater forest of algae, probably the largest on the planet. It stretches over 90 thousand square meters. miles in the Caribbean.
According to study co-author Carlos Duarte, the discovery shows how science is still far from complete knowledge of the oceans, not only in deep areas, but also in shallow waters.
Algae, an important food source for marine animals, can also store large amounts of carbon, so studying them is crucial in the fight against climate change.
There’s a lot we don’t know about large seagrass beds, including how much area they cover, because they’re hard to spot with aerial or satellite photography.
Now, scientists hope to use other types of sea creatures to study the yet unexplored corners of the ocean.