A group of researchers have made a discovery—one that will change the world of science.
Off the coast of Chile, researchers from the Schmidt Ocean Institute were nearly 4,000 meters deep when the shocking discovery was made: 100 new species near the Nazca and Salas y Gómez ridges.
“Every single seamount had a different type of ecosystem on it,” said Hannah Nolan, an expedition and community outreach specialist for the institute.
The team discovered these findings by deploying an underwater robot, one that can descend more than 14,000 feet underwater. From Jan. 8 to Feb. 11, the team worked to find these species.
Lead Scientist on the expedition, Javier Sellanes, said that the team “far exceeded our hopes on this expedition.”
The potentially new species found include lobsters, urchins, sea spiders, sea stars, corals, and more. However, it will only be known if these creatures are discovered by lab analysis.
Overall, the team of scientists hope these findings will be a sign to protect underwater environments not only in the South Pacific but across the globe.
