The renowned scientific journal Nature has chosen a photograph by Alexis Rosenfeld to be part of its annual selection of "The best science images."
This photo was taken during a UNESCO & 1 OCEAN Foundation mission in French Polynesia. During this mission, the 1 OCEAN Foundation team helped to highlight one of the world's largest deep reefs, off the coast of the Tahiti peninsula.
"Beyond its simple aesthetic appeal, it is the significance of this photograph that gives it its full impact," explains the photographer. "This is a deep reef, with its highest point no more than 35 meters below the surface. At this depth, the corals appear to be protected from the climatic disturbances that decimate reefs around the world every year. The importance of this photograph therefore lies essentially in the question it raises: could the salvation of certain species lie beyond the reach of humans, in the depths of the ocean?
This mission was carried out in partnership with the Center for Island Research and Environmental Observatory (CNRS-CRIOBE) and, more specifically, with scientist Laëtitia Hédouin, a coral specialist and research fellow at CNRS-CRIOBE.
Founded in 1869, Nature is one of the oldest and most renowned scientific journals in the world. Every year, it publishes a selection of the best scientific images.
