National Geographic Daily News
The DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submarine during a test dive.

The DEEPSEA CHALLENGER, the one-man deep-diving submarine built by James Cameron, on a test dive off Papua New Guinea.

Photograph by Mark Thiessen, National Geographic

Jane J. Lee

National Geographic News

Published December 4, 2012

The spotlight is shining once again on the deepest ecosystems in the ocean—Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench (map) and the New Britain Trench near Papua New Guinea. At a presentation today at the American Geophysical Union's conference in San Francisco, attendees got a glimpse into these mysterious ecosystems nearly 7 miles (11 kilometers) down, the former visited by filmmaker and National Geographic explorer-in-residence James Cameron during a historic dive earlier this year.

Watch a video interview with Cameron on exploring deep-sea trenches.

Microbiologist Douglas Bartlett with the University of California, San Diego described crustaceans called amphipods—oceanic cousins to pill bugs—that were collected from the New Britain Trench and grow to enormous sizes five miles (eight kilometers) down. Normally less than an inch (one to two centimeters) long in other deep-sea areas, the amphipods collected on the expedition measured 7 inches (17 centimeters). (Related: "Deep-Sea, Shrimp-like Creatures Survive by Eating Wood.")

Bartlett also noted that sea cucumbers, some of which may be new species, dominated many of the areas the team sampled in the New Britain Trench. The expedition visited this area before the dive to Challenger Deep.

Marine geologist Patricia Fryer with the University of Hawaii described some of the deepest seeps yet discovered. These seeps, where water heated by chemical reactions in the rocks percolates up through the seafloor and into the ocean, could offer hints of how life originated on Earth.

And Emerging Explorer Kevin Hand, and astrobiologist with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, spoke about how life in these stygian ecosystems, powered by chemical reactions, could parallel the evolution of life on other planets.

0 comments

Trending News

  • Week in Space - Picture of the Pavlof volcano, as seen from space, emitting a plume of ash

    Week's Best Space Pictures

    The Ring Nebula shines, a volcano erupts, and Germans see the bat signal in this week's best new space pictures.

  • In this Feb. 6, 2011 photo made available Feb. 8, and provided by the Fire & Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia, Gosnell firefighters battles a wildfire at the rear of a house in the Perth, Australia, suburb of Roleystone. Police said at least 68 homes were lost in the blaze, believed to have been started by sparks from an angle grinder. (AP Photo/FESA, Evan Collis) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

    Australia as Climate Predictor

    As extreme weather seems to accelerate globally, scientists believe events Down Under can help explain what to look for-and guard against.

  • Cicadas on skewers in Beijing, China.

    How to Eat Cicadas

    Cicadas bugging you? See our recipe ideas for the low-fat critters, including the new candied cicada cocktail.

Celebrating 125 Years

Connect With Nat Geo

Shop National Geographic

    SHOP NOW »