All are invited to a free public lecture by Scripps Oceanography’s 2019 Robert L. and Betty P. Cody Award in Ocean Sciences recipient Antje Boetius, director of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research. Boetius’ presentation, “The Poles and Deep Seas: Protecting the Unknown Realms of Earth,” will take place July 30, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at the Scripps Seaside Forum. Reception to follow. Description: The cryosphere and deep sea cover the majority of Earth’s surface and help make the planet habitable. But polar and deep-sea ecosystems are remote and largely inaccessible. Despite advances in observational capacities, scientific knowledge on the evolution, distribution, dynamics, and functioning of these ecosystems is still meager. We lack ecological baselines and have not yet defined what indicators to use to assess polar and ocean health. Nevertheless, the human footprint manifests itself in rapid glacial and sea ice melt, pollution, and destructive use of resources in the most remote areas on Earth. Considering the speed of environmental changes, clear conservation targets are needed to prevent irreversible shifts and losses. In this presentation, Antje Boetius summarizes recent observations of change in polar and deep-sea ecosystems, and discusses strategies and rationales for including the unknown realms of Earth in sustainable development goals. The Cody Award recognizes outstanding scientific achievement in oceanography, ocean biosciences, and earth science. It is presented by Scripps Institution of Oceanography to a scientist who has made significant contributions to his or her field of science specialty.