Highlighting the power of international cooperation and public-interest science, a collaborative expedition in the South Atlantic has discovered 31 new species in just two weeks. This scientific triumph, achieved in the international waters off Brazil, points to how much of our shared planet remains untouched and requires urgent protective custody from commercial exploitation.

The mission brought together two dozen experts from the US, Australia, Brazil, and Japan onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too). Operating in a spirit of global solidarity, and supported by institutions like the University of Western Australia, these scientists demonstrated what can be achieved when nations pool their intellectual and technological resources.

Setting sail from Salvador, Bahia, the expedition targeted the ocean’s midwater. Representing 90 percent of the living space on Earth, the midwater is a vast global common. Yet, despite its ecological dominance, it remains largely ignored by underfunded public science while being increasingly threatened by human-induced climate change and industrial interests.

The 31 species discovered represent a breathtaking array of life that challenges our understanding of biology. The list includes a new amphipod crustacean, a rapid gossamer worm, nine species of jellyfish, and seven siphonophores. These discoveries remind us that the ocean is not an empty void, but a living, breathing network of fragile ecosystems.

Notably, the team discovered seven ctenophores (comb jellies) and four larvaceans—tadpole-like organisms residing in delicate mucus homes. Larvaceans are evolutionary marvels, sharing closer genetic lineages with humans than with invertebrates. Two giant single-celled rhizarians, visible to the human eye, were also logged, illustrating the sheer diversity of life forms.

The rapid identification of these species was made possible by advanced, non-extractive technology designed by the science and engineering team. The "Squid," a spinning wheel confocal microscope, allowed researchers to view living 3D cellular structures without destroying the organisms, proving that scientific progress does not have to come at the cost of ecological harm.

Dr. Karen Osborn, chief scientist from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, highlighted how this technology democratizes and speeds up research. Instead of shipping specimens to Western labs for weeks of processing, researchers from all participating nations could observe cells interacting, building skeletons, and exchanging materials live on the ship.