Plastic debris – a plastic bag at 3,767 meters (2.34 miles) depth on Enigma Seamount off the Mariana Islands.

Deep-sea Debris in the Western and Central Pacific

While deep-ocean exploration is responsible for ground-breaking discoveries, it is also unmasking the true scale of our impacts in the deep ocean. Marine debris is a growing problem and a new study has shown that even unexplored, remote, and protected areas of the central and western Pacific deep ocean are not immune from our touch.

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Sea stars play an important role in deep-sea ecosystems, especially as predators of sponges and corals (mostly octocorals). This was the key finding of a new article by Christopher L. Mah in the scientific journal Zootaxa that summarizes feeding observations of 28 species of sea stars from seven expeditions on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.
Federal Funding Opportunity for Ocean Exploration
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Working with our partners at the Ocean Exploration Trust and Schmidt Ocean Institute, we’ve assembled a coloring book to inspire everyone to learn about and appreciate the ocean.
Celebrate World Oceans Day with "Exploring Deep-Ocean Art" Coloring Book
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Sediment from the core catcher contained wood fragments, which were rinsed and catalogued.
Paleolandscapes 2020: Mission Update
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About OER

About OER

Learn about the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, the nation's only federal organization dedicated to exploring the global ocean.

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Celebrating Our Ocean Planet

Oceanography Supplement Published

New Frontiers in Ocean Exploration: The E/V Nautilus, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, and R/V Falkor 2019 Field Season is the tenth consecutive supplement on ocean exploration to accompany Oceanography.

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Data and Results

Data & Results

Access diverse scientific data, video, images, documents, and other information associated with office-supported ocean exploration expeditions.

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For Educators

For Educators

Find educational materials and professional development opportunities for educators designed to enhance ocean literacy.

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Recent Expeditions

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Featured Videos

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Diving for Details

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Exploring Deepwater Ecosystems with eDNA

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We Are Explorers

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Exploring the Water Column

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