It's hard to overstate how profound the ocean's role is when it comes to climate change.

It has absorbed more than 90 percent of the heat caused by greenhouse gasses since the Industrial Revolution, and it stores nearly one-third of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions we produce, staving off 4-6 degreesC (7.2-10.8 degreesF) of planetary warming. But as much as it benefits our climate, the ocean also suffers from its effects—problems like biodiversity loss, heatwaves, and ocean acidification. With this in mind, innovative technologies are needed to monitor changes in the ocean over time and help develop ocean-based solutions for our climate challenges.

From the poles to the ocean twilight zone, here are some of the most important tools WHOI scientists use to monitor the ocean's role in, and response to, climate change.