New deep-sea creatures unlocked!

A giant octopus devouring a jellyfish. An ultra-fast gossamer worm. These are just a couple of the 31 new species scientists discovered on a recent expedition off the coast of Brazil. They explored the ocean’s midwater zone — the vast space between the sunlit surface and the seafloor — which is the Earth’s largest and least explored habitable ecosystem. While it can take researchers decades to identify and describe new species, state-of-the-art technology like 3D lasers and advanced microscopes helped the team confirm these new species within a matter of days. Credits Topics