Art, Cake & Illustration
Scientific illustrations, fotography, art installations and fondant cakes....
by Julia M. Otte
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Deep-Sea Exploration
As a marine microbiologist, I have been working on deep-sea mining for two years. With this artwork, I want to create a future vision of what deep-sea exploration might look like in 2050. Since we know more about the moon than about the deepest regions of the deep sea, we will certainly focus more on exploring and protecting the less explored ecosystem in the deep sea in the future. It might be possible to set up deep-sea laboratories to perform studies under in-situ conditions. Let us hope that we can find a sustainable way to explore and preserve the hidden beauty of the dark paradise. By J.O.
Manganese Nodule
The deep ocean is typically known for its endless desserts with limited nutrients, high pressure, and complete darkness. Surprisingly, researchers found spots with potato-like structures on the deep seafloor. These so-called manganese nodules contain a lot of different metals. For a few years, high-tech companies showed a thriving interest in harvesting these metals, which could be used to build smartphones or electric cars. However, the influence of industrial mining activities on deep-sea ecosystems is still poorly understood. Before deep-sea mining is happening it is important to explore and protect this unique habitat, the veritable beauty of the dark paradise. By J.O.
Microbial Deep Sea Party
Hard Rock and Heavy Metal - a Microbial deep-sea Party!
In the deep ocean, it looks like endless desserts with numerous seamounts, there are nearly no nutrients, high pressure, and complete darkness. Surprisingly, there are slow-growing potato-like structures on the deep seafloor containing a lot of different metals ("heavy metals") which we could use to build smartphones, tablets, or electric cars. The thriving interest in harvesting these deep-sea manganese nodules ("hard rocks"), calls for environmental impact studies. However, the influence of industrial large-scale mining activities on deep-sea ecosystems and the geochemical processes on the subseafloor is still poorly understood.
Before industrial deep-sea mining of manganese nodules is happening it is important to explore the manganese nodule fields and to protect this unique habitat. Until now, the main focus of exploration studies is mainly on geochemistry and large organisms. However, there are much smaller, yet not less astonishing organisms inhabiting the deep sea, which are known as microorganisms, or microbes! The definition of microorganisms involves many species from different groups of small life forms: bacteria, archaea, fungi, and also viruses.
With this artwork, I want to highlight the veritable beauty of the dark paradise and the unexplored deep-sea microorganisms which are also adapted to these extreme conditions in the deep sea and live around the fascinating manganese nodules.
During my first postdoc, I was part of the JPI Oceans project MiningImpact 2 consortium at AWI and MPI, Bremen, Germany, and participated in a cruise investigating the impacts of manganese nodule mining.
The concept behind the artwork is the combination of photography and visual art. The artwork was created using different tools and techniques. I drew by hand, took photos of it, and uploaded them into Adobe Illustrator. The tracing tool helped me to work with the drawings. I also used an OFOS image of a manganese nodule field taken by Yasmine Bodur (PhD student at UiT, Norway) during SO268 (2018; cruise coordinator: Geomar, Germany) and self-made photos of manganese nodules onboard SO268.
Artwork Description
by Julia M. Otte
by Julia M. Otte
with Guldsmed Henrik Saugbjerg in Aarhus, Denmark
 Cow (c) Julia M. Otte |  Microbe (c) Julia M. Otte |  Electro Gas Station (c) Julia M. Otte |
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Support by Marius