A team of French researchers have returned to dry land after spending 28 days exploring the depths of the Mediterranean to document the sea’s marine life and the impact of climate change on the eco system.
The four-person team were able to spend eight hours a day at depths of 120 metres by descending to the seafloor in a diving capsule measuring just one square metre.
In between dives they were confined to two small pressurized capsules where they could eat and sleep. The technique meant they did not have to go through lengthy decompression between dives, but also meant they were cut off from direct contact from the outside world for nearly a month.
The team came back with film footage and thousands of images of rarely seen sea-life, which they hope can raise awareness of the threat of climate change and pollution to the region’s marine life.
“I am not someone who has extraordinary hopes for the future of our environment. I don't really believe in that,” said team leader Laurent Ballesta, a marine bilogist and underwater photographer.
“But maybe we can slow down the process. In any case, there are things to be amazed about. I can assure you, we spent 28 days, we may have suffered a little, but we were amazed."
