From now until May 30, Harbor Branch scientists will work with Univiersity of Miami researchers to explore the deepwater straits between Miami and Bimini using Harbor Branch's Johnson-Sea-Link II submersible. Their primary goal will be to search for and collect marine organisms that have never before been seen and test them for the presence of chemical compounds with the potential to treat diseases like AIDS, Alzheimer's, and cancer. Using sonar map contours -- or "ground truthing" -- the team will try to unlock the secrets of the sea floor's biodiversity in wide swaths, as opposed to just small chunks. If all goes according to plan, the researchers will discover some never-before-seen marine animals, and identify several new compounds with the potential to cure disease.
I wonder what Dr. David Leary -- the man who thinks unregulated bioprospecting is destroying the ocean -- thinks about this plan?
