06/04/2026
π Did you know?
π Did you know?
Sea urchins donβt have eyes, yet they can see. Some species use their entire bodies as a giant compound eye, relying on lightβsensitive cells in their tube feet and skin to detect shapes, predators, and even approaching shadows. Scientists have shown that sea urchins may use these distributed lightβreceptor cells like a retina, turning their whole body into a visual organ.
This astonishing ability is just one reminder of how diverse and surprising ocean life can be, and how much we still have to learn.
Thatβs why the work of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO on ocean science is so essential.
π΅ The IOC coordinates global ocean observing systems, ocean research, and the data they generate, ensuring that knowledge about complex marine organisms, from sea urchins to microscopic plankton, feeds directly into better understanding and decisionβmaking.
With 153 Member States collaborating to strengthen evidenceβbased governance, and 120,000+ daily ocean observations supporting climate and ecosystem monitoring, the IOC is helping drive the science needed to understand life in the ocean and protect it.
π΅ The IOC works to ensure that ocean science powers realβworld action, from biodiversity monitoring to sustainable management.
Because better science means better stewardship.
Discover how IOC turns ocean science and knowledge into action π https://www.ioc.unesco.org/en/articles/ioc-turning-ocean-science-action
π· Kogia - Cedric Dageville