Exploring the dark matter of biology

Birmingham researchers are studying little-known organisms that play fundamental roles in the world's ecosystems, under threat from pollution and environmental change. Ros Dodd reports.

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The 2010 BP oil spill, which saw nearly five million barrels from a sea-floor oil gusher pour into the Gulf of Mexico over three months, is considered the biggest accident of its kind in the history of the petroleum industry.

A massive clean-up operation ensued, but extensive damage had already been done to marine and wildlife habitats. Nearly five years on, the scale of that damage is still being assessed. In 2014, a study reported that tuna and amberjack exposed to the oil developed potentially fatal heart and other organ deformities.

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