Assessing The BP Spill's ImpactBP's ruptured Macondo well spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon explosion in April, 2010. Months after the explosion, scientists are developing a clearer picture of the impact on the Gulf and its ecosystem. In a special broadcast, Talk of the Nation and National Geographic explain what we know about the state of the Gulf today.
On April 20, 2010, a geyser of seawater, mud and methane gas exploded on the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling platform off the Gulf of Mexico.
Smoke rises from surface oil being burned near the Deepwater Horizon blowout. The well spewed nearly 5 million barrels of oil, making it the world's largest accidental marine oil spill.
Joel Sartore/National Geographic/Courtesy of National Geographic
In this handout from NASA, an oil slick from the sunken Deepwater Horizon drilling platform is seen off the coast of Louisiana on May 18 with a portion flowing south from the accident site in the Gulf of Mexico.
NASA via Getty Images/Courtesy of National Geographic
Fishermen at a BP training session for cleanup crews in St. Bernard Parish, La., bow heads for an archbishop's impromptu prayer.
Tyrone Turner/National Geographic/Courtesy of National Geographic
An oily wave breaks on the beach at Gulf Shores, Ala.
Tyrone Turner/National Geographic/Courtesy of National Geographic
"Mix two parts sugar white sand with one part crystal blue water," reads a tourism slogan for Orange Beach, Ala. Deepwater Horizon oil has altered the recipe.
Tyrone Turner/National Geographic/Courtesy of National Geographic
Workers who were cleaning beaches on the Florida coast pass by tourists.
Tyrone Turner/National Geographic/Courtesy of National Geographic
Coated in oil, a dead sea turtle lies in oil-fouled Barataria Bay, La. More than 500 sea turtles died in the spill area. As of Aug. 2, eggs from 134 turtle nests had been moved to oil-free beaches and 2,134 hatchlings released.
Joel Sartore/National Geographic/Courtesy of National Geographic
A small shrimp swims amid dark brown globules of oil. The effect of the spill on the larvae and eggs of shrimps, crabs and fish remains unknown.
David Liittschwager/National Geographic/Courtesy of National Geographic
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The platform sank 5,000 feet to the bottom of the Gulf, and for 87 days, BP's Macondo well spewed millions of gallons of oil and natural gas into the ocean.
Scientists continue working to assess the spill's impact on the Gulf – a diverse ecosystem of wetlands, marshes and a complex chain of sea life.
Watch a video detailing the controversial decision to use dispersants in the Gulf, from the National Geographic special, 'Explorer: Can The Gulf Survive?'
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In a special broadcast in front of a live audience, Talk of the Nation and National Geographic teamed up to explore the reach and impact of the spill in the Gulf.
Joel Bourne, contributing writer for National Geographic Magazine, NPR science correspondent Richard Harris and Ian MacDonald, professor of biological oceanography at Florida State University, share an update on the state of the Gulf – and what scientists have yet to learn about the impact of the BP spill.
