The sea covers around 70% of the earth, and contains around 97% of the world’s water. It’s also home to almost 240,000 species (that have been identified so far), from mammals and fish, down to bacteria and viruses. However, as a biotech resource, it is still untapped.
“There are still many societal challenges that the marine environment could help us to meet, such as antibiotic resistance. It is a source of chemical diversity, with novel targets and novel modes of action.”
— Jeanette Hammer Andersen, professor in marine bioprospecting at UiT-The Arctic University of Norway
Check out what some companies are doing in this area here.