Part 3 of the Microbiome mission: the schooner Tara samples the West African coast for 5 months

An ambitious scientific program in West Africa For 5 months, the schooner will stopover in 7 African countries: South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Gambia and Senegal. During this presence along the African coasts, the Tara Ocean Foundation and associated research institutes will delve into 3 major scientific projects: The

5,500 new RNA virus species discovered in the Ocean using samples collected during Tara Oceans mission

Discovering the RNA virosphere The ocean was once thought to be a vast desert in terms of viruses. Today, scientists are turning to the multitudes we now know inhabit the world’s seas to unravel mysteries of their biology, evolution, and function. While viruses are synonymous with disease, they also infect smaller organisms that run the