Mission Bougainville: setting sail to learn more about our planet

A number of international working groups are working on developing a better understanding of the oceans and their place in the sorely needed ecological transformation. Plankton Planet is one of these. Its work centers on observing the aquatic microbiome, creating sensors to measure changes in this environment, and finding ways to organize locally acquired data in a global way.

Alongside the Sorbonne University Foundation, Plankton Planet runs the Bougainville project with the aim of implementing a first innovative data collection campaign. The innovation extends both to the equipment used – low‑energy sensors developed by Plankton Planet – and to the use of the French naval fleet. The Bougainville mission essentially takes advantage of the presence of French military vessels in every sea and ocean around the world by fitting them with sensors. The mission has a dual aim. First, to gain a better understanding of marine ecosystems and the impact of climate change, pollution and acidification on them. Second, the Bougainville mission will be an opportunity to rethink research in terms of ecological transformation.