Thousands of species previously unknown to science were found in the area where deep-sea mining is planned.
Scientists have discovered more than 5,000 new species of life from kilometers deep in a pristine area of the Pacific Ocean where deep-sea mining is planned.
The discovery is reported in the scientific publication Current Biology in the study. The topic has been reported by, for example The Guardian and The Washington Post.
The strange organisms were found in a vast mineral-rich area called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CZZ).
Life in the deep
According to the study, 5,578 species have been found in the area, of which 88–92 percent are previously unknown to science.
The researchers collected samples from the seabed from a depth of 4,000 to 6,000 meters using remote-controlled vehicles.
– We share this planet with amazing biodiversity. We have a responsibility to understand and protect it, said the study’s lead researcher, a deep-sea ecologist Muriel Rabone According to The Guardian.
A deep-sea biologist who participated in the study Adrian Glover described the seabed as an “amazing place” where life thrives despite the cold and darkness.
According to Glover, one of the deep-dwellers has been nicknamed the “gummy squirrel” by scientists because it has a huge tail and looks like jelly. The creature was found at a depth of more than five kilometers.
Creatures such as glass sponges, arthropods and sea urchins have also been found in the CZZ area. According to The Washington Post, some of the organisms look like partially peeled bananas. According to the magazine, there are also ghost-like octopuses.
Mining permits coming
Mining exploration contracts in the CCZ area have been granted to 17 companies, which are supported by, for example, Britain, the United States and China.
The International Seabed Authority, which operates from Jamaica and regulates deep-sea mining, is scheduled to start accepting applications for mining permits from these companies.
Companies want to dig for example cobalt, manganese and nickel from the seabed. These minerals should be used in the renewable energy industry, for example in electric cars and batteries.
A recent study is a sign that undersea mining and the shift away from fossil fuels may cause harm to life forms that humans are just beginning to understand, The Washington Post estimates.
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