Mark Hindell / Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC via Reuters

A Southern Ocean elephant seal wears a sensor on its head as it sleeps on an island in the Southern Ocean, Antarctica.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Photo taken on Feb. 27, 2012 and made available to NBC News today.

Seals wearing high-tech headgear take scientists to depths of Antarctic Ocean

Reuters reports — Elephant seals wearing head sensors and swimming deep beneath Antarctic ice have helped scientists better understand how the ocean's coldest, deepest waters are formed, providing vital clues to understanding its role in the world's climate.

Twenty of the seals were deployed from Davis Station in east Antarctica in 2011 with a sensor, weighing less than 7 ounces, on their head.

"The seals went to an area of the coastline that no ship was ever going to get to," said Guy Williams, ACE CRC Sea Ice specialist and co-author of the study. Read the full story.

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Comment author avatarold hag

naive question, how did they attach the sensors to those poor animals heads

    Reply#1 - Tue Feb 26, 2013 12:07 PM EST
    Comment author avatarDoug-950479

    Looks like glue, unless it's really really skinny duct tape

      #1.1 - Tue Feb 26, 2013 12:34 PM EST
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      Comment author avatarjohn arthur beaman

      Looks like Falcor's been hitting the bottle.

        Reply#2 - Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:40 AM EST
        Comment author avatardnon46

        The sensor is probably attached by inserting it into the blubber just at the back of the seal's head. I wouldn't think that clue or duct tape would hold up well in the depths of the sea for all that long. Having said that, this guy doesn't look that well. I hope he is only sleeping, poor guy.

          Reply#3 - Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:15 AM EST
          Comment author avatarglkr00

          Can someone get this poor guy a Kleenex?

            Reply#4 - Wed Feb 27, 2013 8:18 AM EST
            Comment author avatarAmerican who is worried

            Hahaha, I am sorry when I saw the title it just said "Seals wearing high-tech headgear..." and I thought it was some Navy Seal tech they were talking about.

            Also the poor guy needs a Kleenex.

              Reply#5 - Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:42 PM EST
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