We’re in Seattle talking to scientists as they prepare to depart on the first leg of the EXPORTS research cruise to the northeastern Pacific ocean. EXPORTS is a revolutionary scientific undertaking by NASA and the National Science Foundation to understand and predict the carbon cycle. There is an urgent need to better understand the fate of carbon in the deep ocean in order to predict future climate conditions.

Planning for the expedition has been going on for over a decade to coordinate 100s of scientists, satellites, remote underwater vehicles, and two research vessels. We talk to researchers about tracing carbon and the use of color and light in understanding the marine food web. We also learn a bit about what it’s like to spend a month at sea—living aboard the Sally Ride.