Unveiling Earth's Hidden Seafloor Ecosystem
Scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute have discovered a new ecosystem beneath undersea volcanic vents on the East Pacific Rise off Central America. Using an underwater robot, they found narrow cave systems inhabited by worms, snails, and bacteria living underground, below the seafloor. This discovery adds a new dimension to hydrothermal vents, showing that their habitats exist both above and below the seafloor. The findings highlight the importance of fully exploring the ocean and protecting its unknown and understudied ecosystems.
