Tara Oceans sails under the auspices of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Tara is a floating research platform, co-directed by Dr. Eric Karsenti (EMBL) and Etienne Bourgois (Agnes b). Its principal objectives are to enable scientists to study little-known aspects of ocean ecosystems including planktonic life, and the effect of climate change on this critical unicellular base to the marine food chain. Also studied are the effects of climate change on coral reefs and the marine life dependent upon them. The urgency of understanding and coping with climate change makes this an extraordinarily important voyage to add to earlier understandings of the origins of ocean life so as to better preserve the diversity of its future.

Tara Oceans departed in September 2009 from Lorient, France, and is scheduled to return to Europe in March 2012. San Diego is one of 50 stops on this incredible voyage of more than 71,000 miles, in the Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, and many seas. The expedition is studying biodiversity and climate, ocean relations, functioning of marine ecosystems, and life’s origin and evolution. On the boat is an international team of 14 people, including 1 captain, 5 crew members and 6 scientists, a journalist and sometimes an artist. Twenty-one laboratories in 10 countries are participating in the research.