Latest news with #deepsea
BBC News
5 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Deep-sea science expedition embarks on 40th voyage
A deep-sea science expedition has set-off for the 40th year to explore the depths of the North RSS James Cook left the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton on Friday morning to continue its long-term study of the Porcupine Abyssal roughly 500km from Southampton, scientists and crew will spend four weeks on-board using cameras and other equipment to monitor what goes on at depths of up to scientist on the expedition Dr Andrew Gates told the BBC technology now allowed more information to be captured than ever before. "One of the most important aspects of sustained observations like these is that we can study long-term change in the deep oceans," he said. Last week, temperatures in the seas around the UK and Ireland soared, with some areas 4C warmer than heatwave was most intense off the west coast of Ireland, as well as in pockets off the coasts of Cornwall and Devon, according to scientists at the National Oceanography Centre and the Met Gates said the whole of the water column was connected - what happens on the surface affects the ecology of the deep-sea bed. "The animals that are living at 5,000m in very cold waters are all reliant for their food on the sinking particles of tiny plants and animals," he said. "So changing processes in the upper ocean can affect the amount or quality of food that can reach those organisms." In the last 40 years methods of monitoring the deep-sea have changed dramatically, partly thanks to technology. Early expeditions would deploy most of their equipment over the side of the boat - samplers would pick up mud and water, and trawling devices would scrape the sea bed for invertebrates. The modern technology on-board the RSS James Cook consists of submersibles, hydrophones, and robotic submarine gliders. Dr Gates said: "The quantity of information that we're collecting as we're travelling around is probably the biggest change now."We've got instrumentation which is measuring the surface ocean as we travel. It's bringing in water to sensors that are measuring carbon dioxide, temperature, and salinity." Another piece of technology used onboard are hydrophones - an underwater device that detects and records ocean sounds from all directions. Scientist Dr Dara Farrell said the devices helped identify mammal vocalisation, human activity, and even underwater landslides. "We're just going to try and find out what is out there," she another deployment, she explained how she saw a line on a particular frequency of a spectrogram that looked strange. "We hypothesized that is was due to fish that have swim bladders releasing air to change their position in the water," she said."Without video evidence you're never quite totally sure but it's really cool." For Southampton University student Ben Walker, this expedition will be his first. He is helping conduct research on a specific species of anthropoid, which was first discovered in the Porcupine Abyssal Plain on the first mission there. What he finds will help contribute to his masters degree next year, and he said he felt honoured to be onboard the ship. "To look around and see nothing but the sea knowing you're 4,800m above the sea floor and to actually get samples from there and actually look at them and be able to see them as they come up is an amazing feeling," he said. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
‘Headless Chicken Monster' Captivates Ocean Scientists With Graceful Dance
The headless chicken monster is a type of sea cucumber. Many animals have acquired silly nicknames from amused humans. Raccoons are trash pandas. Snakes are danger noodles. Ocean dwellers aren't immune to this trend. Stingrays are sea flap flaps. But few nicknames reach the height of the headless chicken monster. One of these special animals was recently captured on camera by ocean explorers. The crew of the Exploration Vessel Nautilus spotted a headless chicken monster while surveying the Vogt Seamount east of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. Seamounts are underwater mountains. The vessel deploys remotely operated vehicles to study the deep sea. One of the ship's ROVs snapped the mesmerizing footage of the chicken monster. The monster has no relation to actual poultry. It's a type of sea cucumber in the Enypniastes genus. Sea cucumbers are soft-bodied invertebrate creatures that typically scavenge for their snacks. Many of them have long, bumpy bodies that resemble the cucumbers we eat in salads. Headless chicken monsters 'are unique in that they've evolved webbed swimming fin-like structures at the front and back of their bodies,' the Nautilus team wrote. 'These semi-transparent deep-sea invertebrates are also known to shed parts of their skin to generate a glowing cloud.' The scientists providing live commentary brought some context to the sighting. The sea cucumbers are also known as Spanish dancers because they have 'nice skirts.' This feature is evident as the animal gracefully flaps through the water. The translucent animal has its guts on display. The dark hole at the top is the sea cucumber's mouth. That's where the 'headless' part of its nickname comes from. The rounded and tapered body resembles a plucked chicken. This transparent sea creature is a cucumber relative. The chicken monster isn't the only unusual sea creature in the E/V Nautilus video. 'While exploring the depths, the team also spotted a more transparent swimming cucumber relative from the Elpidiidae family with nearly translucent body cavity with orange digestive track shining from within,' the Nautilus organization said. If you thought the chicken monster was odd, wait until you hear what this transparent swimming cucumber can do. This animal is known for evading predators by shedding weight and shooting upward. It drops the weight quickly by 'doing a big poo.' The researchers also described this process as 'ballast release.' The Nautilus is exploring the Mariana Islands on an expedition funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It's an area littered with submarine volcanoes. Public outreach is a key part of the Nautilus mission. The ship sends out live video feeds of its science adventures. The translucent headless chicken monster is a highlight from one of these feeds. Previous expeditions have turned up unusual sights like a 'yellow brick road' on the ocean floor and an actual nautilus—a marine mollusk known for its artfully curved shell. The headless chicken monster is worthy of note, not just for its funny nickname, but for its jewel-like beauty and grace as a swimmer. Sea cucumbers are fascinating critters. But what do you call a group of them? According to the Natural History Museum in the United Kingdom, 'Due to their fruit-like appearance, a group of sea cucumbers is known as a pickle.'
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Rarely seen ‘supergiant' deep-sea cousin of woodlice is actually quite common, study finds
A rarely spotted 'supergiant' crustacean related to woodlice is actually a common inhabitant of the sea floor, a new study finds. The deep-sea creature, Alicella gigantea, which can grow up to 34cm long, is the largest-known species of the amphipods. Amphipod is among the most diverse group of crustaceans, with over 10,000 extant species, including woodlice, shrimps, and lobsters. Amphipods are known to inhabit all aquatic environments worldwide. Alicella gigantea, commonly known as the 'supergiant amphipod', has long attracted attention due to its gigantism. It was first filmed in the 1970s at a depth of over 5,300m in the North Pacific but no records of the species were made for nearly two decades after, signifying low population densities. Infrequent sightings only served to buttress the belief that the giant crustacean was rare. There have been only seven studies so far detailing the DNA sequence data of the species. The latest study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, analyses nearly 200 records of Alicella gigantea from 75 locations on the seabed, spanning the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Researchers from the University of Western Australia now suggest the species may well be inhabiting over half the world's deep oceans. The study notes the crustacean thrives at extreme depths in 59 per cent of the world's oceans, indicating that it is far more widespread than previously thought. The research examines 195 records of the supergiant species, including genetic data from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, from 75 locations worldwide to map its distribution and evolutionary history. It concludes that while the creature is rarely collected, it is 'remarkably widespread'. 'There is an ever-growing body of evidence to show that A gigantea should be considered far from rare,' the research says. Although the crustacean's population density may be relatively low compared to other deep-sea amphipods, it inhabits an extraordinarily large geographical range, researchers say. 'Our results show that this species may occupy around 59 per cent of the world's oceans, indicating that the infrequently collected supergiant isn't 'rare' but instead represents a widely distributed deep-sea amphipod with an exceptional global range,' they write. The findings also point to insufficient research of creatures inhabiting the ocean at depths greater than 5,000m. This is in line with another recent study finding that humans have observed less than 0.001 per cent of the deep seafloor. 'We need a much better understanding of the deep ocean's ecosystems and processes to make informed decisions about resource management and conservation,' study lead author and marine explorer Katy Croff Bell says.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Take First Ever Video of Colossal Squid in the Wild... With One Comical Issue
An international team of scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute have captured the first ever footage of a colossal squid — the terrors of the sea that are legendary for both their monstrous proportions and elusiveness — roaming in its natural habitat. But to say it's a big discovery might be misleading. Found lurking in the depths of the South Atlantic Ocean, the specimen is a juvenile mollusk, measuring barely a foot in length. With a transparent body, you might mistake it for some form of jellyfish at first. Mainly, it's the tiny tentacles that betray its true identity. It's no Kraken sighting, in other words. But so rare are these deep sea predators that any footage at all is invaluable. And besides, witnessing one as a baby isn't without its charm or scientific insight. "I actually love that this is our first glimpse of what will become a true giant," Kat Bolstad, a cephalopod biologist at the Auckland University of Technology who helped verify the video, told The New York Times. "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," Kat added in a statement, per NPR. The footage was captured using a remotely operated vehicle dubbed SuBastian, at a depth of around 2,000 feet in March. Researchers on the expedition sent the footage to Bolstad, who confirmed that the specimen on display was indeed the famed creature, albeit in miniature. Colossal squids inhabit the cold depths of the Antarctic seas. As adults, they can grow up to 23 feet long — and perhaps close to twice that if you measure from tip to the ends of their tentacles — and weigh around 1,100 pounds. They shouldn't be confused with giant squids, which grow to similar lengths but are slenderer and less heavy, favoring more temperate waters. The colossal squid's existence was first discovered secondhand, through their chewed-up remains found in the stomach of a sperm whale in 1925. It wasn't until 1981 that a living full adult specimen was caught accidentally by fishermen. And nearly a century on, we still have a lot to learn about these mysterious creatures, which may in fact be trying to avoid humans. "They're very aware of their surroundings, because any disturbance in the water column around them might mean a predator," Bolstad told the NYT. Fully grown colossal squids boast the largest eyes in the animal kingdom, at roughly the size of a basketball, making them extremely adept at spying both prey and predators in the dark waters they call home. Finding more won't be easy, but this discovery is an encouraging reminder that it's possible. With any luck, the next one that the team spots will live up to its behemoth reputation. "I can't wait to see what a live adult colossal squid looks like, at home in the deep sea where it belongs," Bolstad told the NYT. More on marine life: Scientists Revive Organism Found Buried at Bottom of Ocean
Wall Street Journal
17-05-2025
- Science
- Wall Street Journal
The Science Behind Mining for Riches on the Deep-Sea Floor
Explorers have dreamed of harvesting deep-sea metals since the 1870s, when the British scientific ship HMS Challenger pulled up mineral-laden rocks on its round-the-world voyage. The first commercial effort to exploit these riches failed a century later. In 1970, a U.S. company hoisted 60,000 rocks from the seafloor off the coast of Charleston, S.C., and then dumped most overboard because they didn't have enough mineral content.
