Our oceans are what sets us apart from other planets in our solar system, maybe even from all other planets in the universe. The natural heat-retaining properties of seawater help keep temperatures within the so-called ‘Goldilocks zone’ – not too hot and not too cold! Ocean life is also responsible for regulating changes to climate-controlling gases (such as carbon dioxide) and is responsible for feeding much of the planet’s population. Much of what we know about our oceans however has only been discovered through the technological advances of recent years, built on the foundations of knowledge gained from decades of sea voyages on research ships. Today we are seeing a huge change in our understanding due to robots that are able to dive deep into the dark ocean interior and inform scientists of how the ocean is changing, all the way from our coastline down to 6000m depth. At Bluedot 2019, scientists and technologists from the National Oceanography Centre will be presenting the latest technology and recent discoveries made using ocean robots deployed around the world. Learn how heat, wind and tides drive ocean circulation and how plankton poo may hold the key to controlling climate change.