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Can the ocean run out of oxygen? - Kate Slabosky

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TEDEd Animation

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For most of the year, the Gulf of Mexico is teeming with marine life, from tiny crustaceans to massive whales. But every summer, disaster strikes. Around May, animals begin to flee the area. And soon, creatures that can’t swim or can’t swim fast enough begin to suffocate and die off in massive numbers. What's going on? Kate Slabosky dives into the lethal conditions that create dead zones.

When a dead zone is formed in the summer, why do the oxygen levels go down? How does oxygen get re-circulated into the Gulf of Mexico dead zone in the fall?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Kate Slabosky
  • Director Mette Ilene Holmriis
  • Narrator Adrian Dannatt
  • Animator Mette Ilene Holmriis, Jeanette Nørgaard
  • Storyboard Artist Mette Ilene Holmriis
  • Art Director Mette Ilene Holmriis
  • Compositor Christen Bach
  • Producer The Animation Workshop, Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Sound Designer Stephen LaRosa
  • Composer Stephen LaRosa
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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