Professor Peter Girguis discusses his journey from curious student to deep-sea pioneer, exploring how his work bridges biology, engineering, and exploration to uncover the ocean’s mysteries and why democratizing access to science is critical for humanity’s future.

Harvard’s Girguis Lab trains the next generation of ocean explorers by combining biology and engineering to study extreme marine environments, using cutting-edge instruments to understand the organisms and ecosystems that thrive in the deep ocean.

Global scientists outline urgent priorities for ocean research, calling for sustainable exploration, equitable data access, protection of biodiversity, and international collaboration to better understand and safeguard the planet’s most vital and least explored ecosystem.

Federal investments in research programs at institutions like Harvard lead to discoveries that benefit society, from advancing ocean science and climate resilience to improving public health and innovation.

Marine biologist Peter Girguis explores how life thrives in the ocean’s darkest depths. His research on deep-sea microbes and ecosystems reveals new insights into energy flow, carbon cycling, and the fundamental resilience of life on Earth.

A Harvard-led team discovered five previously unknown marine species in some of the planet’s most remote ocean regions, demonstrating the potential for new discoveries in deep-sea ecosystems.

New research from Harvard uncovers how giant tubeworms thrive around hydrothermal vents without sunlight or digestive systems, relying on symbiotic bacteria for energy

Harvard researchers studying deep-sea microbes have discovered unexpected viral interactions that challenge existing models of marine ecosystems, revealing surprising complexity and evolutionary innovation.

Scientists discovered living microbes in aquifers deep below the ocean floor, revealing a vast, previously unknown biosphere that could reshape our understanding of life’s persistence in extreme, isolated environments far from sunlight.

Scientists exploring hydrothermal vents uncovered insights into how life endures without sunlight, suggesting these ecosystems could resemble conditions where life first emerged—and where it might exist elsewhere in the universe.