How do scientists find out what is happening to life and pollution in the far corners of our oceans? Today, this is done with large teams of researchers and a great deal of perseverance, sometimes in stormy cold weather in the complete darkness of the Arctic winter, and sometimes surrounded by stunning scenery and cloudless skies on a warm sunny day. Dr Emlyn Davies, a senior researcher at SINTEF Ocean, is a specialist in ocean optics and is continuously searching for new ways to use light to measure small particles in seawater.

Emlyn Davies is working to bring the ocean closer to scientists by developing light sensors, holographic cameras, and underwater microscopes that can, with the help of underwater robots, be used to remotely study tiny particles in seawater. In his own research, Emlyn has used these tools to study phytoplankton, the tiny organisms that live near the surface of the ocean and provide us with 50% of the oxygen we breathe, as well as the pollutants that threaten them. While Emlyn’s job has taken him to some of the world’s most remote and extreme arctic ocean environments, his combination of artificial intelligence and advanced robotics may allow future scientists to study the furthest reaches of the oceans without even leaving the comfort of home!

Link to the speaker’s biography:
https://www.sintef.no/en/all-employees/employee/?empid=5870 This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx