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A reality show with depth: Live ocean exploration

By Seth Borenstein
Published August 8, 2013 8:37pm ET
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A reality show with depth: Live ocean exploration
This image provided by NOAA, shows a Atlantic deep-sea red crab mating pair. The male crab is carrying the inverted female. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s ship Okeanos Explorer and its robotic sub are providing live coverage of a expedition off Nantucket, that is allowing other scientists and everyday people to follow along. Until now, the world of the deep sea floor has mostly been the province of scientists where a handful of researchers would huddle on a ship and watch the video from below, take notes, and two or three years later write a scientific paper. (AP Photo/NOAA) | ap

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vicious fights! Stunning beauties! Surprises around every corner! Yes, it’s reality TV but with a lot more depth — as much as 10,000 feet. It’s live coverage of deep-sea exploration off Nantucket and tens of thousands of people are tuning in.

They’re watching an eel suddenly attack a squid, oohing-and-aahing over hot pink starfish and listening as excited researchers discover a canyon so downright alien that sea life lives on methane escaping from the sea floor instead of sunlight.

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