Racing Sailors Pick Up Parasite eDNA in Warm Water Samples
The boat that won The Ocean Race gathered bacteria and parasite specimens that offer new insights into the dangers of warming seas.
The 11th Hour Racing Team goes upwind in a steady nine knots off the northeast coast of Brazil during The Ocean Race.
Photographer: Amory Ross / 11th Hour Racing / The Ocean Race
The team that won this year’s The Ocean Race, one of the most grueling round-the-world sailing competitions, has a bit more to show for their victory. The sailors collected environmental DNA — for the first time during a race — bringing new sources of data to scientists trying to understand how this year’s record hot oceans are impacting marine life.
The 11th Hour Racing Team took 27 water samples over April and May during a 5,550-nautical-mile leg of the competition, covering a stretch of sea from Itajai, Brazil to Newport, Rhode Island.