A Tribute to the Ocean’s Keystone Species:

Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge, an international student art contest that promotes ocean conservation. This year’s theme, Marine Keystone Species, invited students to create artwork highlighting species that play a critical role in maintaining the structure and health of ocean ecosystems.

Open to primary and secondary school students 11–19 years old, the competition received an overwhelming response this year. Over 1,300 young artists from 75 countries submitted artwork—each piece a unique interpretation of a marine keystone species, from sea otters and mangroves to corals and sharks. These species may not always be the most numerous or well-known, but they have an outsized impact on their environment. Their presence helps maintain biodiversity, balance food webs, and support ecosystem resilience. If a keystone species is removed, the entire ecosystem could shift dramatically or collapse. Through their art, students explored these complex ecological relationships and made a compelling case for ocean conservation.

Artwork in the competition was judged in two categories based on age. The winning entries are not only beautiful pieces of artwork—they are a tribute to the animals that keep our ocean ecosystems in balance.

“Winning the Science Without Borders Challenge® means a lot to me,” said Hyungjun. “It feels incredibly rewarding to have my artwork recognized on an international level, especially when it’s about a topic I care deeply about—the environment. I wanted my artwork to show how every species has a role and how protecting even one can save many.”

“I hope this piece raises awareness about our damaged ocean and what could happen if we continue to harm it,” said Gia. “This is our planet, and we can make a change, starting with our warming ocean.”

Each of the winners will receive scholarships of up to $500 from the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation to celebrate their achievements and help them pursue their interests in art and ocean conservation.

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Now in its 13th year, the Science Without Borders® Challenge continues to engage students in important ocean science and conservation topics through art. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation created the competition to educate students around the world about the need to preserve our oceans and inspire the next generation of ocean advocates.

“The goal of this contest has always been to educate students about the ocean through art,” said Amy Heemsoth, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Education at the Foundation. “This year’s theme helped them understand how essential certain species are to the health of marine ecosystems. Their artwork serves as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect our oceans for future generations.”

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and participants of the 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge, and thanks them for using their creativity and passion to inspire positive change for our oceans.

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For more information:
Visit: www.LOF.org

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About the Science Without Borders® Challenge:
The Science Without Borders® Challenge is an international student art contest run by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation to engage students in marine conservation through art. The annual competition welcomes entries from all primary and secondary school students 11–19 years old. Scholarships of up to $500 are awarded to the winning entries. Students and teachers interested in next year’s competition can learn more and apply at:
www.livingoceansfoundation.org/SWBchallenge

About the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation:
The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the health of the world’s oceans. Through science, outreach, and education, the Foundation works to conserve coral reefs and other tropical marine ecosystems, enhance ocean literacy, and inspire conservation action. Learn more at www.livingoceansfoundation.org

 

REEF is opening its new Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo this June, marking a major step in its mission to connect people with the ocean. The space is designed to bring marine science, conservation, and education to life for all ages. Opening its door to explore the ocean without ever entering the water (well, we still encourage you to!).

Set for the weekend of June 7 and 8, the Ocean Exploration Center offers more than just architecture and exhibits. The space has been thoughtfully designed as a place for learning, community, and immersion. Attendees will find guided tours, hands-on science demonstrations, and an atmosphere that encourages even the most casual visitor to see themselves as part of the conservation story. Saturday’s events will unfold from 3 to 7 in the afternoon, with ocean-themed games, activities, and local refreshments. Sunday morning brings the launch celebration for REEF’s sixth annual Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K, where participants gather for coffee and snacks before exploring the new center at their own pace. Admission is free, and the experience promises to leave a lasting impression. More information and RSVP details can be found at www.REEF.org/oecgrandopening.

For those unable to attend in person, there is still a way to participate meaningfully. The Fish Out of Water Virtual 5K runs from June 8 to 14, inviting participants around the world to walk, run, bike, swim, or hike their way through five kilometers in honor of World Ocean Day. The event encourages flexibility, reflection, and personal connection to conservation. It’s a movement that doesn’t rely on a podium or stopwatch, but instead emphasizes community and shared values. Proceeds support REEF’s Oceans for All Fund, a program designed to expand access to diving, science, and marine education for individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Registration and details are available at www.REEF.org/5K.

For those drawn to the ocean through language and story, REEF’s Into the Blue Book Club offers yet another way to connect. The next meeting takes place on July 10 and will discuss Megalodons, Mermaids and Climate Change: Answers to Your Ocean and Atmosphere Questions by Dr. Ellen Prager and David Jones. Open to all, the virtual gathering offers a chance to explore ocean science and storytelling in conversation with others. Whether you’ve read the book cover to cover or simply want to listen in, the meeting is a warm entry point into a growing community of ocean-minded readers. More information can be found at www.REEF.org/bookclub.

REEF offers a new center, a virtual 5K, and a book club. Each invites people to engage with the ocean in their own way. In a time when conservation can feel overwhelming, REEF keeps it simple: participate, stay curious, and stay connected.

By Junior Thanong Aiamkhophueng

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Hydrothermal Vents Found in the Icy Depths of the Remote South Sandwich Islands 

An Ocean Census Flagship expedition and GoSouth team of scientists found suspected new species, discovered one of the island chain’s shallowest hydrothermal vents, and explored the deepest trench in the Southern Ocean. 

Palo Alto, CA, USA — An international team of scientists on a recent 35-day deep-sea expedition to one of the most remote island chains in the world observed thriving polar ecosystems, discovered new hydrothermal vents, coral gardens, and many suspected new species. The Ocean Census Flagship expedition aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too) explored the South Sandwich Islands, including one of the coldest and most isolated submarine trenches on the planet, and also found evidence of explosive volcanism. This was the same expedition that filmed the first confirmed sighting of a juvenile colossal squid.

The expedition was part of the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census program, the world’s largest initiative to accelerate the discovery of ocean life. The Ocean Census scientists led the species discovery efforts, uncovering a wide range of potentially new marine life — including corals, sponges, snails, sea urchins, benthic ctenophores, and sea stars. The exact number of new species will be announced later this year following an Ocean Census workshop, where taxonomic experts will formally assess and catalog the findings. The GoSouth team — a collaboration between the University of Plymouth (UK), GEOMAR (Germany), and the British Antarctic Survey (UK) — investigated the effects of geohazards, including tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

“This expedition has given us a glimpse into one of the most remote and biologically rich parts of our ocean. This is exactly why the Ocean Census exists — to accelerate our understanding of ocean life before it’s too late,” said Dr. Michelle Taylor, head of science and expedition principal investigator at the Ocean Census, and senior lecturer at the University of Essex. “The 35 days at sea were an exciting rollercoaster of scientific discovery; the implications of which will be felt for many years to come as discoveries filter into management action.”

Mother Nature threw everything she had at the expedition, said Taylor, including a subsea earthquake, tropical storm force winds with hurricane-level gusts, eight-meter (26-foot) waves, and icebergs to navigate.

Located in the South Atlantic, the South Sandwich Islands are part of a rich mosaic of geologic features such as hadal zone trenches, underwater volcanoes, and spreading centers — features created by tectonic forces that have supported the evolution of species found nowhere else on the planet. It took eight days for the research vessel to travel to the islands from the port of Punta Arenas, Chile.

The GoSouth team, led by Co-Chief Scientist Dr. Jenny Gales, discovered two pockmarks in the mapping data of an underwater caldera — a bowl-shaped depression in the seafloor, left after a volcano erupts. Pockmarks can indicate hydrothermal activity. Using a “nested” approach, the team deployed Schmidt Ocean Institute’s remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian to map the pockmarks at a higher resolution and confirm the presence of vents.

The larger pockmark contained three hydrothermal vents, and the smaller contained one. Located at 700 meters depth (nearly 2300 feet), they are one of the shallowest hydrothermal vents to have been discovered near the South Sandwich Islands, and the only ones to be explored using a remotely operated vehicle. The tallest vent chimney was four meters (13 feet), making it about as tall as a basketball hoop. Each vent was covered with an array of life dependent on chemosynthesis, including sea snails and barnacles. Thriving coral gardens and large sponges were found in close proximity to the vents — an unusual observation, said Taylor.

“Discovering these hydrothermal vents was a magical moment, as they have never been seen here before,” said Gales, an associate professor in Ocean Exploration at the University of Plymouth (UK). “It’s an incredible discovery that provides valuable insights into the area’s tectonic activity. Making such a discovery is rare. It highlights the importance of ocean exploration and seafloor mapping.”

In addition to the vents, other notable observations during the expedition included:

• In the trench, scientists found snailfish eggs that had been laid on a black coral, as well as a potential new sea cucumber species;
• large pumice blocks, indicating that the South Sandwich Islands are capable of explosive volcanism; 
• a vibrant coral garden located west of Saunders Island at a depth of 120 meters (394 feet); 
• Capturing the first footage of Akarotaxis aff. gouldae, a species of dragonfish that was discovered two years ago.

“The challenging ocean and weather conditions and the isolated location of the South Sandwich Islands capture the imagination of the boldest explorers — often the closest humans to the vessel were on the International Space Station,” said Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Executive Director, Dr. Jyotika Virmani. “We are proud to have collaborated with Ocean Census in their mission to advance the discovery of marine life and GoSouth in their quest to better understand the geological nature of this dynamic corner of the world.” 

Image Credit: Jialing Cai / The Nippon Foundation – Nekton Ocean Census / Schmidt Ocean Institute

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