Ravi Mishra (Sedimentologist, National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, India) examines a smear slide from one of the cores. The slide is prepared by taking a small amount of sediment from the core section using a toothpick. The sediment is placed on a glass microscope slide, mixed with a small amount of water, and then “smeared” on the slide. After a coverslip is glued over the sediment, the slide is examined on a microscope. The sedimentologists look at the general composition of the sediment for description, rather than identifying microfossil species that are used to date the core. (Credit: Bill Crawford, IODP JRSO) [Photo ID: exp355_037]