The saltwater we are
Josephine Condemi
Dear reader,
The seas and oceans are the last unexplored frontier: according to Seabed 2030, the flagship programme of the United Nations’ Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, as of June 2024, we have mapped only 26.1% of the global seabed. Up to a depth of 200 metres, where the sun’s rays fully penetrate, it is easier for us to photograph, describe, represent, and bring to the surface what remains underwater. Beyond that, the mystery begins, taking us straight back to the origins of life on our planet.
The first chemical reactions took place in salt water: long before trees, it was aquatic plant organisms that transformed carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates and oxygen through sunlight. These plant organisms are called phytoplankton, and together with animal organisms, zooplankton, they form plankton, the collective term for the aquatic life forms that do not swim but are carried and moved by currents.
The deeper we dive into the abyss, the less sunlight filters through, and the less we know about the life forms that inhabit the depths of seas and oceans. How do they live? What can they teach us about adapting to extreme conditions? Even today, the oceans absorb about a quarter of the CO2 emitted each year by humans. Once again, understanding and preserving one of the ecosystems that make up our planet means giving ourselves a real chance of survival.
Our bodies remind us every day that we come from salt water: the cells we are made of rely on a delicate balance between water and mineral salts to exchange energy with our surroundings. Seawater and the plasma in our blood are similar. Before our birth, before breathing, we shape ourselves for nine months in the uterine sac filled with the compound of water and mineral salts we call amniotic fluid.
The Mangrovia of this month you will be reading in this magazine and listening to in the Zenit podcast will therefore oscillate between outside and inside, immersions and resurfacings that connect art, culture, and technology to try to live better and in harmony on our planet: from the importance of cleaning the oceans of the plastic we produce to how Artificial Intelligence and immersive technologies can aid in the exploration of the depths; from the energy generated by waves to the sea that we have in our eyes; from art promoting sustainable energy to how cultures living in coastal areas can contribute to new forms of tourism. It will be the month of the first content partnership and of new travel companions. It will be the month when, for the first time, the project team will physically meet in the same room. Emotions, like those we hope to share with you in the coming weeks.
Thank you for being here. Enjoy the journey!
