Moreover,
More than 10 km under:
10. Meanwhile, 000 meters deep, in total darkness, a Chinese submarine revealed the existence of colonies of organisms living more deeply than anything that was possible.
The colonies discovered by researchers are the deepest ever observed. Nevertheless, © Ai with Gemini
The Hadale zone. Moreover, located more than 6,000 meters below the surface of the ocean, is one of the most inaccessible and mysterious regions of our planet. For example, Beyond these 6 kilometers. where the lightlight never penetrates and where the pressionpression is overwhelming, life seems impossible or at least reserved for microbes and other microscopic life forms.
However. the pit of the Kouriles, one of the deepest on earth with its 10,542 meters in maximum depth, recently revealed one of its best hidden secrets.
An unsuspected ecosystem 10. 000 meters deep – More than 10 km under
In 2024, a team of Chinese researchers plunged into the abyssal depths of the pit, located in the Pacific Ocean. Aboard their submersible, the team reached the bottom of the pit.
And contrary to what we thought so far, these deep waters are not only populated by tiny microorganismsmicroorganisms. The researchers discovered thousands of tubicoles there, some reaching 30 centimeters long, molluscs, crustaceans, and even sea cucumberssea cucumbers !
An extreme lifestyle
How do these creatures manage to survive in such extreme conditions? The answer lies in a phenomenon called chemotrophy.
Unlike the majority of organisms on earth. which draw their energyenergy Light by photosynthesis, these inhabitants of the abyss depend on chemical compounds such as methane or carbonecarbonewhich escape cracks from the more than 10 km under seabed.
Researchers have discovered several types of areas housing different types of organisms. © NPG Press. Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Case
This discovery, published in the review Naturesuggests that such groupings of organizations could be more widespread in other underwater trenches, at depths where this was not imagined.
What future for seabed?
These discoveries also call into question the viability of projects miningmining seabed.
While several countries. including China and the United States, seek to exploit the resources of oceanic trenches for mineralsminerals Few scientists warn that this could destroy these ecosystems still largely unknown and fragile.
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