During a 45-day research expedition to the deep Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean, scientists made an astonishing discovery. Located between Mexico and Hawaii, this region revealed a multitude of species that have never been seen before by humans. The expedition shed light on the remarkable biodiversity that thrives in the ocean’s depths, particularly in the abyssopelagic zone that is always dark.
Among the team of researchers on the British research vessel James Cook was Thomas Dahlgren, a marine ecologist from the University of Gothenburg and the NORCE research institute. Dahlgren expressed his excitement at exploring one of Earth’s least explored areas, where it is estimated that only a fraction of the animal species living there have been identified by science. The Abyssal Plains, deep-sea regions at depths between 3,500 to 5,500 meters, make up a significant portion of Earth’s surface yet remain largely unexplored when it comes to their unique animal life.
Dahlgren highlighted the specialized adaptations observed in the creatures inhabiting the area despite their scarcity of food and vast distances between individuals. Some of the most notable findings included pink sea pigs and sea cucumbers which are among
