Copper, nickel, cobalt, zinc… If the new Eldorado lies at the bottom of the oceans, mining will inevitably threaten luxuriant ecosystems that are still largely unknown. What do we know about biodiversity at these depths? What mineral riches lie hidden there? How can we gain knowledge about these inaccessible landscapes? How can we better inform the public?
To explore and better understand these unknown and now vulnerable environments, each year the French research vessel Pourquoi Pas? takes a multidisciplinary team of scientists on a several-week voyage to the Lucky Strike hydrothermal field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, off the coast of the Azores.
For the duration of one cruise, the illustrator Damien Roudeau joined these experts of the deep. Through his journal, Damien takes us on a multifaceted journey—one that carries us aboard the Pourquoi pas? and down to 1,700 meters below the surface in the manned submersible Nautile, into the little-known yet already threatened realm of the deep ocean. Along the way, he reveals the remarkable world of hydrothermal ecosystems, draws attention to the growing pressure for the exploitation of mineral resources, and underscores the urgent need to protect these fragile environments… before their loss becomes irreversible.
Original title: Damien Roudeau. Des nouvelles du fond: Carnet embarqué jusqu’aux abysses, Maison Arthaud. 208 pages. To be published on 04/15/2026.
Photo: Cover of the cruise illustrated book. Credit: Damien Roudeau
Authors: Jozée Sarrazin, Marjolaine Matabos, Deep-Sea lab, BEEP, Ifremer (EMSO-Azores)