Scientists are preparing to embark on an unprecedented, years-long mission to explore the Indian Ocean and document changes taking place beneath the waves that could affect billions of people in the coming decades.
The ambitious expedition will delve into one of the last major unexplored frontiers on the planet, a vast body of water that's already feeling the effects of climate change.
Understanding the Indian Ocean's ecosystem is important not just for the species that live in it, but also for an estimated 2.5 billion people at home in the region - from East Africa, the Arabian peninsula to south and southeast Asia.
The three-year research will contribute to a summit on the state of the Indian Ocean planned for late 2021.
Researchers will soon spend seven weeks surveying underwater life, map the sea floor and drop sensors to depths of up to 2,000 metres in the seas around the Seychelles.
Little is known about the watery world below depths of 30 metres, which scientists from Britain and the Seychelles will be exploring with two crewed submarines and a remotely operated submersible in March and April.
The mission's principal scientist, Lucy Woodall of Oxford University, said the researchers expect to discover dozens of new species, from corals and sponges to larger creatures like types of dog-sharks.
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