What happens to the delicate larvae of ocean creatures when
they’re exposed to increasing acid levels in the ocean? That’s
the question marine biologists Steve Palumbi of Stanford and
Eric Sanford of UC Davis are trying to answer through
experiments with sea urchin larvae off the California and Oregon
coasts. Their theory is that the increased acidity in the
oceans—caused in part by increased CO2 levels in the
atmosphere—makes it difficult for marine species to grow their
shells. In this short documentary, you’ll see the scientists
test their theory by designing and building a time machine in
their lab, transporting sea urchin babies to the ocean of the
future. This video comes courtesy of our friends Dan Griffin and
Robin Garthwait of GG Films and Steve Palumbi of Stanford
University. We’ll be featuring more of their great work in the
coming months. In the meantime, head over to the GG Films
website and Microdocs.org.