Latest news with #JyotikaVirmani
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Shocked to Catch Colossal Squid on Camera for the First Time — And This One Is Just a Baby
A group of scientists onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor captured a video of a colossal squid, the heaviest invertebrate on the planet, in the South Atlantic Ocean It's the first time the species has been seen on camera in its natural habitat since it was discovered 100 years ago Scientists believe the colossal squid they filmed is a baby, as it was only about a foot long. An adult colossal squid can grow up to 23 feet in length For a century, scientists have only speculated about what a baby colossal squid looks like — now they finally got a chance to see one up close. A group of scientists onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute research vessel Falkor captured a video of the species on camera in its natural habitat for the first time since it was discovered 100 years ago, according to a press release from the nonprofit research organization. "These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved," Schmidt Ocean Institute's executive director, Dr. Jyotika Virmani, said in the release. The video was captured on March 9, about 2,000 feet beneath the ocean's surface near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, during an "expedition searching for new marine life," according to the Schmidt Ocean Institute. The nonprofit noted that fishermen had previously filmed the dying adult colossal squids near the ocean's surface, but the species had "never been seen alive at depth." Related: Elusive Deep-Sea Fish Mysteriously Rises to Ocean's Surface in 'Extremely Rare' Broad Daylight Sighting Michelle Taylor, the expedition's chief scientist, shared in a press conference, per Scientific American, that the crew decided to film the creature "because it was beautiful and unusual" before continuing their exploration lower in the ocean's depths, and noted that they didn't realize the significance of the sighting until several days later. "It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist," said Auckland University of Technology's Dr. Kat Bolstad, one of the independent scientific experts the team consulted to verify the footage, per the release. "For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The scientists noted that the colossal squid, which measured nearly a foot in length, was likely a "juvenile" or baby. An adult of the species is estimated to grow up to 23 feet or 7 meters in length and can weigh up to 1100 lbs., per the Schmidt Ocean Institute, making it the heaviest invertebrate on the planet. "This is one of the planet's true giants, living in one of our most pristine marine ecosystems," Bolstad said, per the Scientific American. "It's a source of fascination and wonder and plays a huge role in Antarctic food webs." The baby colossal squid also had a "see-through appearance," which the Schmidt Ocean Institute noted disappears as the creature ages. Among the species' "distinguishing characteristics" is "the presence of hooks on the middle of their eight arms," which is unique from other glass squid species. Related: Rare Ghostly-Looking 'Dumbo' Octopus Spotted on Deep Sea Camera "To get footage of a juvenile is so wonderful," said expert Dr. Aaron Evans, who helped identify the species, at a press conference discussing the footage, per Scientific American. "So for us to see this kind of midrange size, in between a hatchling and an adult, is really exciting because it gives us the opportunity to fill in some of those missing puzzle pieces to the life history of this very mysterious and enigmatic animal." In January, a Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition in the Bellingshausen Sea filmed a glacial glass squid. The footage, taken more than 2,200 feet underwater, showed the creature positioning "its arms loosely above its head," similar to other creatures of the same species. "The first sighting of two different squids on back-to-back expeditions is remarkable and shows how little we have seen of the magnificent inhabitants of the Southern Ocean," Virmani said in a press release. "Fortunately, we caught enough high-resolution imagery of these creatures to allow the global experts, who were not on the vessel, to identify both species." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colossal squid filmed alive for first time since its discovery a century ago
A colossal squid has been filmed alive in the wild for the first time, 100 years after the species was discovered. The rare footage was captured on March 9 by Schmidt Ocean Institute's remotely operated vehicle SuBastian, at a depth of 600 metres off the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The juvenile squid, around 30 centimetres long, is the first confirmed sighting of a living Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni in its natural habitat. Colossal squid are thought to grow up to seven metres and weigh as much as 500kg, making them the world's heaviest invertebrate. Until now they have been seen only dead – washed up or in the stomachs of predators such as whales. 'It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,' said Dr Kat Bolstad, who helped verify the footage. The discovery came during a 35-day ocean census expedition – part of a global project to find and record new marine life. The mission involved Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census, and research teams from the UK and Germany. Experts confirmed the juvenile squid by its transparent body and arm hooks, which help distinguish it from similar species such as the glacial glass squid (Galiteuthis glacialis). The glacial glass squid was also filmed alive for the first time on a previous Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition in January, in the Bellingshausen Sea off Antarctica. 'The first sighting of two different squids on back-to-back expeditions is remarkable,' said the Institute's executive director, Dr Jyotika Virmani. 'It shows how little we've seen of life in the Southern Ocean.' To date, the Institute's ROV SuBastian has recorded the first confirmed footage of at least four deep-sea squid species, with another still awaiting identification. 'These unforgettable moments remind us how much of the ocean remains unexplored,' Dr Virmani added.
The Independent
16-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Colossal squid filmed alive for first time since its discovery a century ago
A colossal squid has been filmed alive in the wild for the first time, 100 years after the species was discovered. The rare footage was captured on March 9 by Schmidt Ocean Institute's remotely operated vehicle SuBastian, at a depth of 600 metres off the South Sandwich Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The juvenile squid, around 30 centimetres long, is the first confirmed sighting of a living Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni in its natural habitat. Colossal squid are thought to grow up to seven metres and weigh as much as 500kg, making them the world's heaviest invertebrate. Until now they have been seen only dead – washed up or in the stomachs of predators such as whales. 'It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,' said Dr Kat Bolstad, who helped verify the footage. The discovery came during a 35-day ocean census expedition – part of a global project to find and record new marine life. The mission involved Schmidt Ocean Institute, the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census, and research teams from the UK and Germany. Experts confirmed the juvenile squid by its transparent body and arm hooks, which help distinguish it from similar species such as the glacial glass squid (Galiteuthis glacialis). The glacial glass squid was also filmed alive for the first time on a previous Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition in January, in the Bellingshausen Sea off Antarctica. 'The first sighting of two different squids on back-to-back expeditions is remarkable,' said the Institute's executive director, Dr Jyotika Virmani. 'It shows how little we've seen of life in the Southern Ocean.' To date, the Institute's ROV SuBastian has recorded the first confirmed footage of at least four deep-sea squid species, with another still awaiting identification. 'These unforgettable moments remind us how much of the ocean remains unexplored,' Dr Virmani added.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
It's Alive! For The First Time Ever A Colossal Squid Is Filmed In Its Natural Habitat, And It's A Baby
This year marks 100 years since scientists first discovered and formally named the colossal squid, so it may be hard to believe that this year is also the first time ever that we're seeing confirmed footage of the deep-sea creature in its natural habitat. An international team of scientists filmed a baby colossal squid on March 9, nearly 2,000 feet below the surface of the South Atlantic Ocean, near the South Sandwich Islands. The footage was recorded by a remotely operated, underwater vehicle called the SuBastian. It happened during a 35-day mission aimed at finding new marine life. Until now scientists mostly only saw the remains of colossal squid after they fell prey to whales or other marine life. Dying adults have also been previously filmed by fishermen, but never alive or at this depth. The Schmidt Ocean Institute says the baby colossal squid was nearly one foot long, and it had one of the most distinguishing characteristics of a colossal squid – hooks on the middle of its eight arms. (MORE: Unraveling The Mystery Of 'Milky Seas') As it grows older this colossal squid will lose its captivating translucency, growing more opaque as its muscles develop. Researchers believe colossal squid can grow up to 23 feet in length and weigh more than 1,000 lbs. That's what makes them the heaviest invertebrate on the planet. But there's still a lot we don't know about this deep-sea creature and its life cycle. Dr. Kat Bolstad of The Auckland University of Technology was one of the scientific experts who helped confirm the footage and she said, 'It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist.' Dr. Jyotika Virmani, Executive Director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute added, 'These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved.' MORE ON Spectacular Goose Invasion At Annual Tulip Festival Elephants Form 'Alert Circle' During California Earthquake King Penguin Rescued In Argentina Returns To The Sea
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Colossal squid captured on film in its natural environment for first time ever
A colossal squid has been filmed in its natural environment for the first time - exactly 100 years after the species was first identified. The footage was recorded in March by a team of international scientists on an expedition searching for new marine life. Measuring just 30cm long, the juvenile squid was spotted at a depth of 600m (1,968ft) near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. Experts believe colossal squid eventually grow up to 7m (23ft) in length - and can weigh up to 500kg (1,100lbs). That's equivalent to a Fiat 500 car, making it the heaviest invertebrate on the planet. The footage was captured by crew on board the Schmidt Ocean Institute's Falkor (too) vessel, with a remotely operated vehicle called SuBastian filming the video. Experts from the University of Plymouth and the British Antarctic Survey were among those involved in the 35-day quest. Dr Kat Bolstad, who helped verify the footage, says that - until now - colossal squid had mainly been encountered as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs. "It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist," she added. The colossal squid remains shrouded in mystery - and while little is known about their lifecycle, adults eventually lose the see-through appearance of juveniles. Another distinguishing characteristic of this species - formally known as Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni - is the presence of hooks on the middle of their eight arms. Read more science news:'Tropical nights' in Europe are soaring Scientists revealed that, in January, they also managed to film confirmed footage of the glacial glass squid for the first time ever. "The first sighting of two different squids on back-to-back expeditions is remarkable and shows how little we have seen of the magnificent inhabitants of the Southern Ocean," the Schmidt Ocean Institute's executive director Dr Jyotika Virmani added. "These unforgettable moments continue to remind us that the ocean is brimming with mysteries yet to be solved."
