On this special Halloween day, let’s dive into the fascinating world of the ocean to discover those who have also donned their scariest costumes! 😱⤵️

🐚 The Great Pagfish, from the hermit crab family, is a clever crustacean that adorns its back with poisonous anemones. This ingenious protection keeps predators away, while adorning it with striking colors. Protection and beauty combined!

🦀 The boxer crab disguises itself as a real cheerleader, using anemones as tassels. If threatened, he doesn’t hesitate to throw them at his enemies to defend himself. 🤛 A bold look, and a formidable technique!

🦠 Some nudibranchs absorb the stinging cells of their prey as a magic potion, to become venomous in their turn.

😶‍🌫️ Cuttlefish are capable of wizard-like camouflage. Thanks to chromatophores, pigment cells, it changes color and texture to disappear as if by magic in its environment.

🦑F inally, the Firefly Squid masters the art of bioluminescence. It adjusts the intensity of its light to blend into the ambient luminosity, erasing its shadow to go unnoticed by its predators below. And that’s not all! This magician can also create patterns of light to blur his silhouette…

🪸 The ocean is full of creatures with talents worthy of the greatest masters of disguise! Frightening, astonishing and fascinating, they remind us that nature is full of surprises… even down deep! 🌊✨

So, who among them do you think will take home the prize for best costume? 🎃

Join us on Thursday November 28 at the Cinéma Le Chambord in Marseille for an exceptional evening dedicated to the ocean. Come and share this unique moment between ocean lovers: patrons, partners, ambassadors, family and friends are invited for a review of our actions, learn more about our projects and their progress, followed by a time to marvel at a projection on the theme that brings us together: the ocean.

💙 A highlight for ocean enthusiasts, punctuated by a review of our actions, the progress of our projects and a projection that will immerse us in the beauty of our common cause: the ocean.

➡️ More information to come, so save the date now, and if you have any questions, drop us a line at mission@pure-ocean.org.

In the meantime, relive the 2023 edition!

Rising sea levels are one of the most visible signs of climate change caused by our carbon emissions.

What accounts for this rapid rise? Two phenomena come together: firstly, the warming of the ocean causes it to expand, taking up more space. Secondly, melting glaciers and ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica are releasing billions of tonnes of water into the ocean. Each additional degree accelerates these processes, transforming our coasts at an alarming rate.

But what impact does this rising water have on us?

Some areas are already suffering the consequences. Indonesia, for example, is having to relocate its capital, Jakarta, because the weight of its infrastructure, in addition to rising water levels, is literally sinking the city. In the Pacific, islands like the Maldives are in danger of disappearing completely beneath the waves. And that’s not all! In France, almost 3 million people live on the coast, and according to estimates, cities like La Rochelle and Saint-Malo could also face major flooding in the decades to come.

The Secretary General of the United Nations recently pointed out that this threat could affect 900 million people living in low-lying coastal areas. The future of these communities depends on the decisions we take today to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit warming to 1.5°C.

In the face of this crisis, solidarity is essential. If we act together today, we can reverse the trend and protect the ocean for future generations.

Les scientifiques de l’Ifremer ont fait une avancée majeure en découvrant un mécanisme commun entre l’infection par l’herpèsvirus chez les huîtres et le développement du cancer chez les humains. 😱

Leur étude révèle que l’âge des huîtres influence la survie de leur progéniture, et que les jeunes huîtres issues de parents âgés sont plus sensibles à l’herpèsvirus OsHV-1, responsable de mortalités massives. Intriguant, cette sensibilité est liée à l’activation de la télomérase, une enzyme également impliquée dans les cancers humains. 🧬

💡 Cette découverte nous rappelle l’importance de comprendre les mécanismes biologiques sous-jacents à la santé marine. C’est précisément ce qu’étudie le projet Pure Ocean SYNSEN, lauréat 2024, qui va caractériser les conséquences de la plasticose, maladie liée à l’ingestion de microplastiques, sur l’ADN des oiseaux marins. 

L’objectif de Synsen : modéliser les effets de l’ingestion de microplastiques sur le vieillissement cellulaire et les maladies neurodégénératives. 🩺

Une fois de plus, ces avancées scientifiques nous montrent l’importance de soutenir la recherche, pour comprendre et prévenir les enjeux liés à la santé des écosystèmes marins et humains.

🔗 Retrouvez l’article : https://www.ifremer.fr/fr/presse/de-l-herpesvirus-chez-l-huitre-au-cancer-chez-l-homme-la-decouverte-d-un-mecanisme-commun