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#Iridogorgia corals are easily recognizable for their distinctive, large spiraling stalk and fluffy silhouette. Learn more about this deep-sea soft coral group in this episode of #NautilusFieldGuide!

Today is #NationalMaritimeDay, and we want to say a huge THANK YOU to our amazing crew that keeps #EVNautilus in tip-top exploration shape!

Today is #NationalMaritimeDay, and we want to say a huge THANK YOU to our amazing crew that keeps #EVNautilus in tip-top exploration shape!

Today is #NationalMaritimeDay, and we want to say a huge THANK YOU to our amazing crew that keeps #EVNautilus in tip-top exploration shape!

Did someone say scaling lasers? When exploring the #deepsea, we use #scalinglasers that are exactly 10cm apart to accurately measure whatever we’re seeing on #ROVHercules’ camera.

It's #WorldEelDay! Who remembers this pair of #MorayEels filmed by ROV Hercules while exploring the summit of Ahyi Seamount in the waters of the #MarianaIslands? These Gymnothorax berndti and Gymnothorax elegant "roommates" are known to sometimes hunt cooperatively on the reef with groupers. Adapted for life living among coral rubble and in rocky crevasses, eels' skin emits a protective mucus to safeguard their thick, scaleless skin from scratches. Look closely at the tubed nares (nostrils), which help morays with their excellent sense of smell. The signature open jaw smile of moray eels helps them manually flush a steady flow of oxygenated water over their gills to breathe.

Finding a pocket of biodiversity in the #deepsea is like striking gold for us #oceanexplorers! Stay tuned as we get ready for a brand new season of exploration in the Pacific.

In the #deepsea, this dead #sponge stalk serves as an elevating perch for colonial #anemones as well as a #squatlobster. During our dives, we see many instances of organisms utilizing dead stalks to extend higher into the water column and filter out more tasty treats from the passing currents.

Who are those voices you hear on our live stream and highlight videos and where are they coming from? It’s the Science Party Line in the control van, of course! #EVNautilus

Today is #TeacherAppreciationDay! OET is immensely proud of all of the educators and science communicators who have sailed on #EVNautilus as #ScienceCommunicationFellows. We also want to say a big THANK YOU to all the teachers who have engaged in ship-to-shore interactions with us, used our educational materials in their classrooms, or followed along with our dives.

📷: most of the 2026 SCF cohort at AltaSea during our annual training forum last month.

We spotted this carnivorous #sponge, in the Family Cladorhizidae, while exploring the waters of the #CookIslands. Instead of filter feeding like most sponges, it uses its spicules to catch small creatures in the #deepsea, like crustaceans. This one was sighted with an #anemone (Actiniaria)! #SpongeSunday

Our latest episode of #NautilusFieldGuide features the colonial hydrozoan known as a #siphonophore. Watch the full video at NautilusLive.org

We hosted the 2026 Science Communication Fellows at our annual forum at @altasea in the port of LA. Stay tuned to meet all these amazing educators and science communicators sailing aboard #EVNautilus this year!

Happy #EarthDay! Don't forget, our global ocean covers over 70% of the planet!