Who Lives in the Deepest Part of the Earth
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Below the wide ocean surface, there exists a mysterious world filled with endless deep areas, a place that holds countless secrets waiting to be discovered while we have journeyed to far away planets like Mars, the enigmatic ocean floor of our very own planet continues to captivate our imaginations as we venture into the deep and mysterious abyss. We are left pondering who lives in the deepest spot on earth known as the legendary Mariana Trench. What incredible marvels lie hidden within its profound depths. In this video, we will be providing answers to these questions, exploring the amazing chasms of the Mariana trench deep beneath the surface of the vast ocean lies a world of mystery and wonder. The Mariana trench. This incredible geological formation situated on the boundary of two lithospheres plates was born through the process of subduction where one plate sinks beneath the other. It is the Pacific Plate that surrenders itself to the Philippine Plate, creating a spectacle that has captivated the imagination of adventurers and scientists alike. Contrary to common misconceptions, the Mariana Trench is not a mere hole in the seabed. It is an immense structure stretching over a distance of 2542 kilometers, more than five times the length of the renowned Grand Canyon in the United States. However, it maintains a relative narrowness with an average width of about 70 kilometers. Such dimensions naturally give rise to numerous abyssal depths with some plunging beyond 10,000 m among the deepest recesses within the Mariana trench. The Challenger Abyss stands out as the most renowned nestled in the southwestern part of the trench, Approximately 340 kilometers away from the island of Guam. This abyss reaches staggering depths. Various sources have recorded its maximum depth to range from 10,028 m to a breathtaking 11,034 m below sea level. A testament to the mysteries concealed within the darkened depths. Yet the Challenger Abyss is not alone in its deep sea grande. The Mariana Trench harbors another remarkable chasm known as a siren abyss located 200 kilometers east of its famed counterpart, this abyss. Though slightly shallower, still plummets to remarkable depths. Its maximum measurement reaches 10,809 m and astonishing feat that continues to enthrall. Explorers venturing into the Wad abyss curiously, despite its status as the deepest place on Earth, the Challenger Abyss is not the closest point to the center of our planet Earth with its slightly flattened poles, possesses a radius that is approximately 25 kilometers less at the poles than at the equator. Consequently, the Arctic Ocean sea floor finds itself in closer proximity to the center of the earth than the depths of the Challenger Abyss. Reminding us of the intricate nature of our planet's shape and composition. Due to its immense size and unique characteristics. The Mariana Trench boasts an extraordinary environment with striking variations in conditions. Even at its shallowest point, a mere 414 m deep lies a de cou volcano. An awe inspiring sight here, an extraordinary phenomenon unfolds as the underwater lake of pure molten sulfur emerges. The inky substance bubbles and boils at a scorching temperature of 187 degrees Celsius. A mesmerizing display of nature's fiery dance venturing further into the depths. One encounters an even more astonishing marvel known as black smokers. These hydrothermal springs found at approximately 1600 m below the surface gush forth highly mineralized water under immense pressure, hundreds of atmospheres and scorching temperatures that reach a staggering 450 degrees Celsius hypotheses suggest that these black smokers existing a billion years ago served as the cradle of life in the ocean, nurturing and fostering the emergence of diverse ecosystems for many years. Scientists held the belief that life in the Mariana Trench could only exist at relatively shallow depths. The extreme pressure and near freezing temperatures at the very bottom of the Challenger Abyss were deemed inhospitable to any form of life. However, the first manned expeditions shattered these preconceived notions, explorations and discoveries in the Mariana trench back in 18 75 a courageous crew embarked on the HMS Challenger to venture into the deep parts of the Mariana trench, fueled by a strong desire to uncover the hidden secrets of this mysterious place. They had no idea that their journey would lead to a discovery that would amaze the entire world as the crew lowered a heavy rope into the water. They were surprised to find that the Mariana Trench was much deeper than they had anticipated. The depths seemed endless and even their long rope couldn't reach the bottom. The news of this incredible discovery quickly spread, inspiring other explorers and adventurers. The word ignited ambition in those who want to uncover the mysteries of the Mariana Trench for themselves. In 1962 pioneering Americans, Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh dared to venture into the Challenger Abyss using a deep diving research vehicle called Trieste. They descended to an astonishing depth of 10,918 m spending five hours on the remarkable journey. Unfortunately, their visibility was greatly hindered by swirling clouds of silt raised by the vehicle allowing only a brief glimpse of an illuminated flat fish. This remarkable discovery of life at such depths sparked scientific fervor building anticipation for subsequent expeditions. The wait continued until March 24th, 1995. When a Japanese probe named Keiko reached the deepest recorded point in the trench descending to 10,911 19950.0.4 meters. The probe's mission provided valuable samples of silt revealing the existence of microscopic living creatures known as Fora Mira. These tiny organisms adorned with intricate mineral skeletons offered further evidence of life persisting in the Mariana Trench in July 2011, equipped with advanced drop cams, armed with digital video cameras and powerful flashlights. Another research expedition explored the ocean's deepest realms. Among their remarkable discoveries was a giant for Amira, an astonishing find considering its large size for a single celled organism measuring over 10 centimeters in 2012. Guided by the renowned Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron, the path of exploration continued with a remarkable expedition. Cameron led the way using an innovative one person vehicle called the Deep Sea Challenger. This expedition brought back soil samples that revealed approximately 200 species of invertebrates shedding light on the complex web of life existing in the depths. Finally, in December, 2014, another groundbreaking expedition reached a depth of 8145 m unearthing complex multi cellular organisms previously unknown to science. Among these extraordinary finds were fish resembling snail fish standing as record holders for their ability to thrive in such deep depths. The absence of other fish species at these depths underscores uniqueness and fragility of this extraordinary ecosystem, surprising discoveries and resilient creatures. Scientists recently made surprising discoveries about the diverse life forms in the Mariana Trench even though it's a tough place to survive. Natasha Gallo, a student at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography studied footage from James Cameron's 2012 expedition and found that animals living in the deepest parts of the trench can survive in complete darkness and extreme pressure. Finding food is difficult in the Mariana Trench because it's far from the land, not much plant material from land reaches the trench. And the dead plankton from the surface takes a long time to sink to the deepest point called the Challenger. Deep. Some small organisms rely on chemicals like methane or sulfur for food while others eat marine life lowered down the food chain. According to gallow, the most common creatures at the bottom of the Mariana trench are xenophyophore, amphipods and small sea cucumbers called holy xenophyophore are single celled organisms that look like giant amoebas and eat by surrounding and absorbing their food. Amphipods are shiny scavenger like creatures found in deep sea trenches. It was a mystery how they survived in the Mariana Trench because their shells easily dissolve under high pressure. However, in 2019, Japanese researchers discovered that one species of amphipods in the Mariana Trench uses aluminum from seawater to strengthen its shell. During James Cameron's expedition. Scientists also saw clumps of microbes called microbial mats in an area called the Serena Deep, which is East of the Challenger Deep. These mats feed on hydrogen and methane produced by chemical reactions between seawater and rocks. One of the top predators in the area is a Mariana snail fish. Scientists found this unusual fish in 2017, living at a depth of about 26,200 ft or 8000 m. The snail fish has a small pink and scaleless body that doesn't seem suited for such a harsh environment. But researchers discovered that it dominates the ecosystem by going deeper than any other fish and eating the many small animals in the trench. Pollution in the Mariana trench, the deep ocean can sadly become a dumping ground for harmful pollutants and trash. In a study published in 2017 by scientists from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. It was found that chemicals banned in the 19 seventies are still present in the deepest parts of the ocean. During the research on small shrimp like creatures called amphipods in the Mariana and chromatic trenches, the scientists made a surprising find the fatty tissues of these organisms contained very high levels of persistent organic pollutants or pops. These include chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls, P CBS and poly brom dial ethers, PB D E s which are commonly used as insulators and flame retardants. These pollutants were released into the environment through accidents and leaks from landfills until they were banned in the 19 seventies. Alan Jamison, the lead author of the study and a marine ecology expert at Newcastle University expressed concern about the findings despite thinking of the deep ocean as a clean and untouched place. The research shows that it's not true. The contamination levels found in the amphipods were similar to those in Suruga Bay, an extremely polluted industrial area in the Northwest Pacific. Persistent organic pollutants don't break down naturally and can last for many years. They make their way to the bottom of the ocean through plastic debris and the remains of dead animals from there. The pollutants move up the food chain building up in organisms and creating higher concentrations than those found on the surface. Jamison highlighted the devastating impact that human activities have had on the planet. Finding such high levels of pollutants in one of the most remote and hard to reach habitats serves as a strong reminder of the harm we are causing. Moreover, the Mariana Trench is impacted by the extensive issue of plastic pollution in our oceans. A 2018 study revealed the alarming prevalence of miniscule plastic fragments referred to as microplastics in the deepest waters of the trench. This indicates that plastic waste is entering the ocean and accumulating even in the most remote regions that are difficult to access. Thank you for watching this video. To the end. 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