Do you have a theory?
The diversity is likely so high because the habitat is so old and so vast. Personally, I think it’s because their color simply doesn’t matter down there. On land, however, a blue moth sitting on the bark of a brown tree would immediately get eaten. 

What was your most important discovery to date?
Methane-eating microorganisms at hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. They’re the subject of my most-cited publication. It’s about a symbiosis, about how two types of microorganisms – archaea and bacteria – work together to complete a chemical process that neither type could manage on its own.

Why is it so important?
Because it shows that there are invisible networks of life in the ocean that keep our planet’s material cycles running. It’s amazing to see how much we have left to learn about single-celled organisms – which are what make Earth habitable to begin with.

What was it like for you getting started in research as a woman?
I never had the feeling my gender was critical. Back then, there were already some successful women in marine biology and on expeditions. Like Lotte Hass – the wife of marine researcher Hans Hass, who swam with sharks and dived among the reefs. And no-one in my family ever said: You’re a woman; you can’t do that. 

Have there been situations in which you were keenly aware of your role as a woman?
There have definitely been times where I was the only woman in the room. Being in the minority is naturally something you can feel. I think the most extreme case was when I was the only woman among five hundred men – at the opening ceremony for a Japanese university. And I still run into the infamous mansplaining from time to time – when male colleagues try to explain things to me that I’m actually an expert on. When it happens, I try to joke about it.

Have you ever thought about quitting?
No. But I’ve definitely had to fight throughout my career – for research funding, for ships, with bad weather, when instruments stopped working, and when equipment broke down on the seafloor. Though there’ve been some dicey moments, giving up was never the best option.

What would you still like to achieve in your research?
I’d like to learn much more about the biotic networks in the ocean, from the microbial breakdown of hydrocarbons, to new forms of working together with marine fauna. I’m also fascinated by the diversity of landscapes in the deep sea and how we can use new discoveries to achieve better marine protection.

And outside of research?
How to more effectively achieve the required level of collaboration and critical investments in climate and marine protection. Though there are various problems with Russia, China, and now the US at the governmental level, researchers continue to demonstrate their determination and commitment.

You recently switched to the US, to serve as President of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California. Why?
Because the institute is a true paradise for deep-sea research. There, the focus is on advancing robotic systems to understand and observe marine life, with the ultimate goal of enhancing its preservation. Its founder, David Packard, was convinced that we needed to accelerate the process of learning from the ocean, and focused on sponsoring innovation. He once said: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; if you don’t make mistakes, you’re not reaching far enough. That intrigued me.

What advice would you give to young people who want to follow in your footsteps?
Don’t give up hope, keep asking questions, and keep learning. Curiosity is a super power, especially when combined with empathy – even for the unknown, single-celled, diverse life in the ocean’s depths.

☸

Prof. Antje Boetius, born in 1967 in Frankfurt am Main, is a marine and polar researcher and most recently served as Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven; since 2025 she has been President of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in California.