Up From Below

A crane hoists Jason, WHOI’s 9000-pound remotely operated vehicle (ROV), onto the deck of the research vessel Atlantis. The deep-sea robot had just spend several days more than one mile beneath the surface conducting experiments, taking measurements, and collecting samples s at hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. Scientists used the ship and ROV to explore how microbes live off chemicals in fluids spewed from the vents and form the base of a food chain that supports exotic communities of animals. You can learn more about the expedition on Dive and Discover and watch a video of Jason being deployed for its mission.(Photo by David Levin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)