The “Microbiomes” mission brings back microorganisms collected from Europe to Chile via Africa and Antarctica.
After twenty-two months on the seas and 70,000 kilometers traveled off fourteen countries in South America, Antarctica, West Africa and Europe, the schooner Tara joined its home port of Lorient (Morbihan) on Saturday October 15. Just before returning home, as is the tradition of these expeditions launched by the Tara Ocean Foundation nineteen years ago, the aluminum-hulled boat landed on the island of Groix. Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research, came to welcome him with Antoine Petit, head of the CNRS. She hailed that boat “iconic”and “scientific tool” who mixes “cutting edge research on climate, environment and biodiversity”.
The “Microbiomes” mission set off to observe microscopic organisms present in the oceans, such as microalgae, diatoms, bacteria and viruses. About 25,000 samples have been reported and will reveal some of their secrets in…