April 20th marks the sixth anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The infamous blowout lasted 87 days and leaked an estimated 160 million gallons of oil. Since then, scientists have been tirelessly analyzing its impact, gaining greater insight year by year into the lasting effects of toxic oil and the use of dispersants as a tool to help clean up. 

Dispatches From the Gulf, a new episode in the “Journey to Planet Earth Series”, takes a hard look at what we know today and where the health of the Gulf is headed. Narrated and hosted by Matt Damon, the film captures the dedication and collective teamwork of hundreds of scientists within the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, one of the largest coordinated oceanic research effort in history. Get an insider’s look into the groundbreaking science, innovation and exploration conducted in the Gulf of Mexico through this in depth look at the road to recovery.

Click the link below to watch the sneak peek of Dispatches From the Gulf via live stream on April 20, 2016, 2pm ET and 7pm ET at: https://www.youtube.com/c/ScreenscopeJ2PE/live

Can’t wait till then? Want more exclusive content? Check out this close encounter with a sperm whale that caught researchers by surprise while they were exploring the deep regions of the Gulf of Mexico:

The Ocean Portal receives support from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) to develop and share stories about GoMRI and oil spill science. 

The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is a 10-year independent research program established to study the effect, and the potential associated impact, of hydrocarbon releases on the environment and public health, as well as to develop improved spill mitigation, oil detection, characterization and remediation technologies. For more information, visit http://gulfresearchinitiative.org/.