those "evil" oil companies...advancing marine science

Animals in the deep oceans are now being filmed using robotic vehicles and cameras operated by oil companies. As they seek out new oil reserves on the deep-sea floor or carry out maintenance work, these companies are teaming up with scientists to capture shots of animals never seen before and discover new science.

This global collaboration is called the SERPENT Project - Scientific and Environmental Rov* Partnership using Existing iNdustrial Technology.

'The results have been incredible, far beyond our original expectations,' said Dr Hudson. 'We have seen new species, found animals in areas where they were believed not to be present, but most importantly we have been able to observe their behaviour in their natural habitats. There are over 400 oil rigs worldwide - all with the potential to help science explore the oceans. We are working with companies that represent over 200 of them.'

The entire PhysOrg.com article can be found here. I'm very excited about the future of ocean exploration. I firmly believe that advances in surveillance technology, robotics, communications and computing power will allow us to explore and monitor the entire ocean depths and the life forms within them in the not very distant future.