LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists are preparing to embark on an unprecedented adventure in the depths of the Indian Ocean, diving for the first time into the barely sunlit twilight zone to look for new forms of life.
The dive team will begin its mission in March in the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, and 50 diving trips are planned to be carried out at a depth of 300 meters below sea level.
Scientists from this adventure aim to explore new life forms in the remote coral reefs of Seychelles, in cooperation with the island government, which develops a world-leading marine plan to ensure a sustainable future for its seas.
The audience will be able to watch a live broadcast of this mission through Sky News, which will send a special team to cover the mission from under the depths of the ocean.
The team will study coral reef integrity in the region and assess biodiversity in an area believed to be full of predators.
The data will enable scientists to learn more about the rapidly changing environment of the Indian Ocean, where climate change, overfishing and plastic water pollution are a major threat to coral reefs there.
Seychelles recently announced 15 per cent of the ocean, an area the size of the United Kingdom, a marine reserve, and plans to double the area by 2020.
Coral reefs in shallow waters in the Indian Ocean and elsewhere have been severely damaged in recent years due to rising sea temperatures and acidity caused by climate change.
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States show that warm water changes the biological nature of coral reefs and even death.
