Venturing into the ocean's depths unveils a world akin to science fiction. Encompassing seventy percent of our planet's surface, the ocean potentially harbors over two million species – most of which have yet to be discovered.
Beneath the surface, in realms devoid of sunlight, the cold, high-pressure environment unveils an astonishing diversity of ecosystems and animals, each uniquely adapted to thrive in extreme conditions.
"Animals have evolved the ability to tolerate extreme conditions,” says Lisa Levin, a researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, “such as cold or hot temperatures at vents, high pressure in trenches, low oxygen in oxygen minimum zones, high hydrogen sulfide at methane seeps, and low pH at CO2 vents."
Here, we spotlight a few of the deep ocean's most intriguing residents – each of which exemplifies nature's remarkable adaptability to the extreme conditions of the ocean's depths.
