June 22, 2006—To visitors, the remote Tuamotu island chain in French Polynesia is a priceless paradise. (See a map of the South Pacific.)

But scientists warn that the islands may soon become a sunken treasure because of global warming.

Sitting a mere ten feet (three meters) above sea level, the Tuamotus may all but disappear within the next century as sea levels continue to rise, experts warn.

Take a tour of these tiny islands and the wildlife-rich waters that connect them, and learn how global warming is putting the unique Tuamotu way of life at risk.