Sylvia Earle Mission Blue

BERMUDA - SEPTEMBER 1: Legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle examines a patch of sargassum during an expedition to the Sargasso Sea, as part of her "Mission Blue" campaign. The Sargasso Sea is home to seaweed of the genus Sargassum, which floats en masse on the surface there. The sargasso plays a major role in protecting and of different wildlife such as eels and turtles. Mission Blue's purpose is to explore the ocean while further protecting it. "It's not enough that we protect 12% of our land but it's certainly not enough that we protect just a fraction of one percent of our oceans." says Sylvia Earle, founder of the program. Earle is a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, sometimes called "Her Deepness". She led the Google Ocean Advisory Council, a team of 30 marine scientists providing content and scientific oversight for the "Ocean in Google Earth." To date, she has led over 70 expeditions, logging more than 6500 hours underwater. Among the more than 100 national and international honors she has received is the 2009 TED Prize for her proposal to establish a global network of marine protected areas. (Photo by Shaul Schwarz/Getty Images)