A vast expanse of liquid hope, the oceans
are part of America's newest medical frontier.

Its underwater organisms are
teeming with potential cures.

Sponges are providing real chemicals, real
pharmaceuticals. About seventy percent

of the drugs that we use now have their
origin in some natural product, most of

them are plant derived. So, can you
imagine how much more there is when two

thirds of the world is colored by water?
The potential is unlimited.

The latest medical gold rush takes place beneath
the waves. Marine creatures may hold the

key to unlocking the secrets of our own
biology.

The horseshoe crab and its eyes are
really quite remarkable they become

about a million times more sensitive at
night than they are during the day.

We've used that information to be able to get
a better sense of how human eyes work.

Aplysia fits the niche for a basic
animal that can be used to study memory

and learning. The compound that comes
from a shallow water sponge can help to

block the spread of cancer. Scientists
view the saltwater wilderness as a

treasure chest of promise for human
medicine. I still feel like I'm a kid in

a candy store because marine natural
products are amazing. They have such

potential to really be new drugs and yet
we have just scratched the surface.

The oceans medical mysteries are as deep as
its trenches. What breakthroughs have its

sea life revealed? Are there cures that
lie beneath the waves?