Seamount Deep Dive #2 – Red Sea Rift

Date and Time: Wednesday, September 24, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM UTC

join us for the Seamount Deep Dive on the Red Sea Rift with Prof. Froukje van der Zwan and Prof. Francesca Benzoni. This session will take participants into one of the most extraordinary and least explored deep-sea environments on Earth—a rift system shaped by active volcanism, hypersaline brines, and ecosystems thriving under extreme conditions.

Through cutting-edge science and new discoveries, the session will reveal how the Red Sea Rift is advancing our understanding of ocean basin formation, resilience of life in extreme environments, and the future frontiers of deep-sea exploration.

Moderated by Murtadha Al Malallah, this Seamount Deep Dive will offer unique insights at the crossroads of geology, biodiversity, and global ocean science. The Red Sea Rift, with its active volcanism, hypersaline brines, and extraordinary ecosystems, provides a natural laboratory for discovery—revealing how new ocean basins form and how life adapts to extreme environments.

Participants will discover why the Red Sea Rift is pivotal to advancing global ocean knowledge and how continued exploration can unlock discoveries with far-reaching implications for both science and society. This session promises not only to showcase groundbreaking research but also to inspire a deeper appreciation of the Red Sea’s role as one of the planet’s last great frontiers.