This Ship is Spying on the Ocean Floor. Here’s What It Discovered.

The RV Investigator: Exploring the Depths of the Ocean

In these troubled times for the world, the RV Investigator, a research vessel operated by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) of Australia, stands out for its noble mission.
Unlike the “spy” ships dominating headlines, this impressive vessel is home to forty scientists and twenty crew members equipped with radar, sonar, and monitoring devices, exploring and photographing the most remote corners of the waters around Australia.

Over the years, the RV Investigator has captured attention for its photos of strange and unknown marine creatures inhabiting the deepest abysses of the Indian Ocean.
From a half-meter long pink lobster to a purple sea urchin, the vessel’s missions have unveiled a hidden world beneath the waves.

One remarkable discovery by the RV Investigator was the solving of the mystery of the Nemesis, a ship that sank 120 years ago with its cargo of coal and 32 crew members, never to be found until now.
Recent expeditions have taken the vessel to the South-Eastern region of Australia, near the Tasman Sea, where even more startling discoveries have been made.

The latest voyage aimed to study the changes in the southern Australian waters over the past 25 years.
Forensic tests conducted onboard revealed a significant warming trend, with marine life from tropical regions moving southward along the eastern coast.
Rich Little, the chief scientist of the expedition, highlighted the fourfold increase in sea temperature compared to the global average, leading to shifts in species distribution and marine habitats.

The warming waters have been linked to extreme weather events, along with disruptions in the marine ecosystem due to intense fishing activities.
The presence of tropical fish has surged while species like the redfish are dwindling, confirmed by DNA analysis of water samples collected.

Key to this research is the eDNA sampler developed by CSIRO, which collects and analyzes residue DNA fragments left by marine organisms.
Cindy Bessey, a marine ecologist, explained the process of matching residual DNA with known suspects to track species prevalence accurately.

As the scientists aboard the RV Investigator grapple with these transformations, the quest for understanding the driving forces behind these changes intensifies.
The vessel continues to navigate the depths of the oceans, awaiting the insightful conclusions that will shed light on the ongoing evolution below the surface.