Turkish scientists are set to explore the depths of oceans and seas for clues about life in space through the Middle Eastern Technical University (METU) Institute of Marine Sciences’ "DeepTrace" project.
The team will conduct research at depths of up to 2,600 meters in the Black Sea, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans.
Mustafa Yücel, deputy director of the Institute of Marine Sciences at METU, will lead the team of five scientists from the same institution, three of whom are women.
The project is supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye's Horizon Europe Program and funded by the European Research Council Consolidator Grant, which provided a budget of 2.4 million euros ($2.6 million).
Before the expedition, Yücel told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the 20-member team, including five from METU, would study hydrothermal vent areas in the eastern Pacific Ocean at depths ranging from 2,400 to 2,600 meters.
The research will be conducted aboard the "Atlantis" research vessel using the Alvin submersible, which is famed for discovering the Titanic wreck.
"We are conducting a study to search for signs of habitable environments in deep space,” Yücel said, adding: "Hydrothermal vents in Earth’s oceans are the most likely habitats for finding traces of life and they resemble those we believe exist in space.”
He highlighted that liquid oceans and potential hydrothermal vents exist beneath the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. NASA and the European Space Agency are researching the plumes detected around the moons Enceladus and Europa.
"The data we collect from Europa’s ocean will show us the composition of its ocean,” Yücel explained.
"These plumes come from the depths of this icy world and may contain nanoparticles, which can be measured more stably than other molecules. We believe that by studying similar vents in our oceans, we can better understand the conditions in space.”
The project, expected to conclude in 2028, will begin with deep-sea dives in the Pacific Ocean this week.
The first 36-day phase will involve collaboration with researchers from the University of Delaware and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the U.S.
A unique laboratory has been established at METU to analyze ocean floor samples and local sensors have been developed for experiments.
