When marine biologist Dr. Carole Baldwin explored the Galapagos Islands region, she brought an entire audience with her. Baldwin spoke about her experience starring in the new IMAX movie Galapagos last Thursday in Barnum as part of the Tufts Lecture Series. Baldwin, whose leading role marks one of the first times that an actual scientist was used as an actress in a movie, shared her impressions of the islands she explored during the filming, as well as her unprecedented journey into the depths of the ocean.
Baldwin said that as soon as she heard about the IMAX movie, she was eager for the opportunity to explore an uncharted land of giant volcanoes, tropical mist, and deep blue water.
"If there was an Academy Award for enthusiasm, [I] would have won it," she said.
On land, Baldwin encountered a large variety of rare species that are only found in the Galapagos Islands. She came across three-foot iguanas and several species of penguins, tortoises, and seals. She said that unlike other environments, the animals actually interact with the humans - for example, the seals always wanted to play with the divers.
"In the Galapagos, animals accept your presence," Baldwin said. "The experience is more than just seeing animals that occur nowhere else in the world. They allow you to get so close."
Baldwin found the land animals extremely interesting, but she was especially excited about the opportunity to examine marine life far beneath the surface. In a special submarine, Baldwin was lowered 3,000 feet below the surface to capture footage for the film. She said that although she has seen more diverse places, she has "never seen greater numbers of animals anywhere. At times, I found myself surrounded by thousands of fish."
During her explorations, Baldwin had many encounters with barracudas, hammerhead sharks, and moray eels, all of which are extremely dangerous to divers. Although most would be scared of such run-ins, she felt that "it wasn't as frightening as it should have been. It was just mesmerizing."
On her voyage to the bottom of the ocean floor, the light under the sea gradually diminished until it was completely dark. The only sources of light were bioluminescent - or glowing - marine species, which Baldwin compared to "an amazingly starry night."
Once they reached the bottom, they found numerous marine animals that had not yet been discovered. For each of the 15 days that they dove, the biologists found a new species each day - types of sea cucumbers, sea stars, and sharks. They also encountered oddly proportioned marine animals, such as three-foot crabs and five-foot squids.
For Baldwin, her trip to the Galapagos Islands proved that we, as humans, know very little about life in the ocean. She estimated that "humans have only seen one-millionth of the ocean." If they discovered 15 new species in 15 days, it is unbelievable to think of what else is out there, she said, also claiming that she is "puzzled about how much we know about space and how little we know about our own planet."
With new technology, it is likely that knowledge about the ocean will soon increase. Even so, it would be impossible to learn all there is to know about the Galapagos Islands, because they are so rich with mystery and wonder.
