Nature
PUBLISHED
It’s like another world down in the dark depths of the Earth’s seas. A recent expedition to the Mariana region of the northwest Pacific Ocean – home to the world's deepest trench – has shown time and time again that the seabed is loaded with some the freakiest and most beautiful creatures on Earth.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.A newly released video from NOAA’s Okeanos Explorer shows a vibrant bubblegum coral at a depth of 522 meters (1,712 feet) on June 17, 2016. This coral seems like an oasis in the pitch-black depth of the sea, acting as a hangout for a tiny little crab and a brittle star to cling on to.
Most curious of all is an unidentified green algae “blowing” in the strong currents. Plant life is not generally found at these kinds of depths, simply because there’s no light. The scientists suggest it could just be a piece of algae that became snagged on it. Whatever the situation is, it's mighty fine to look at.
