In March, a 45-day marine research expedition uncovered alien-like life forms thriving in the darkest reaches of the Pacific Ocean, with some species capable of surviving up to 15,000 years in these depths.
These remarkable discoveries were made within the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a remote and least-explored region between Mexico and Hawaii, where extreme oceanic conditions pose significant challenges for human exploration.
Using advanced technology, including a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), an international team of researchers from the UK National Oceanography Centre’s Seabed Mining and Resilience platform ventured to depths ranging from 3,500 to 5,500 meters (11,480 to 18,045 feet) to document these findings.
Among the species encountered during the expedition were sea cucumbers and glass sponges, which subsist on organic debris in the deep-sea environment. Notably, the expedition also identified the pink sea pig, a slow-moving creature that traverses nutrient-rich sediments across the desolate plains of the deep sea.
The primary objective of this research was to deepen our understanding of the Pacific Ocean’s profound depths and its biodiversity. However, the expedition also sheds light on the growing concerns surrounding deep-sea mining, driven by the demand for unique minerals found in these underwater ecosystems.
These mining activities threaten to disrupt the delicate balance of deep-sea life and its ecosystems. Therefore, the expedition not only focused on cataloging new species but also aimed to assess the potential impacts of mining and to map the structure of these vital ecosystems.
