This may be a tired statistic, but it’s true. We know less about what lives and lurks in the ocean than we know about the universe. This year was no exception. Last year, researchers discovered a number of discoveries, including a long-lost shipwreck, strange animals, and even a phenomenon known as “dark oxygen.”
‘Pacific Ghost Ship’ discovered by underwater drone
It took a team of 20-foot-long autonomous submersible drones just a few hours to move the USS stewart After spending 78 years on the ocean floor of the Pacific Ocean. This “Four Piper” destroyer was the only ship captured by the Japanese military during World War II, and was nicknamed the “ghost ship” because many Allied forces spotted it deep behind enemy lines. I was given the nickname. It was eventually returned to the U.S. Navy and scuttled, but its exact location remained a mystery for many years. However, we now know that his very well-preserved remains are located in the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of California.
Shipwreck hunters discover World War II-era merchant ship sunk in Lake Superior
This also dates back to the World War II era. arlington She was not participating in the battle at the time of the sinking. This 244-foot bulk carrier was instead a merchant vessel sailing through Lake Superior on its way to Owen Sound, Ontario. However, due to bad weather, the ship flooded in the early hours of May 1st. Captain Frederick “Taity Bug” Burke insisted that his crew stay the course, but the sailors had other plans and soon abandoned Burke to Captain Burke and Captain Burke. The ultimate fate of the ship. Like the U.S.S. stewart, arlington It was discovered using a remotely operated submersible and sonar scanning.
A colorful new species of starfish discovered off the coast of Japan
There are approximately 2,000 cataloged starfish species in the world, and that list grew with at least one new species in 2024. It was discovered by researchers off the coast of Japan’s Izu Peninsula. Paragona Star Whey Maruaeis only the second starfish known to belong to the family Pseudarchasteridae. The striking orange sea creatures are particularly adapted to living in muddy and sandy waters, and researchers hope to learn more about this evolutionary feature in the coming years.
Grumpy-faced fish species found in the Red Sea
victor nunes pineman
Although it is orange in the same way, Paragona Star Whey Maruae, Subiota Eson Perhaps with far more pronounced physical characteristics. This small fish has a downturned mouth that always gives it a grumpy look. Its face looks very irritated, which is why it has the common name of grumpy dwarf goby. The fish is about an inch long and lives in coral reefs on the Farasan coast of the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia. But even with its size, the discoverers say the grumpy dwarf goby is a “fearsome predator” given its relatively large canine teeth, which are used to catch and devour small invertebrates. Expressing.
World War II submarine found 81 years after going missing during top-secret mission
It took almost 25 years and at least 14 attempts, but researchers finally discovered the remains of HMS. trooper A World War II Allied submarine and its 64-man crew embarked on a secret mission near Greece in early October 1943, but never arrived in Beirut as originally planned. Researchers used both sonar and an ROV called ‘Super Achille’ to determine the identity trooperand confirmed a fatal collision with a German landmine. trooper It rests in three parts at an estimated depth of 830 feet on the ocean floor of the Icarian Sea near the Greek island of Donousa.
The world’s largest coral layer is longer than a blue whale
Photo by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Sea
The world’s largest animal may be the blue whale, but researchers in 2024 determined that the largest and most intertwined animal community is undoubtedly the recently discovered Pavona crabs coral colony. Measuring 111 feet wide, 104 feet long, 18 feet tall, and 600 feet in circumference, this independent coral system has formed in the southwest Pacific Ocean over the past 300 years and can be seen from space.
New species of ghost shark discovered in New Zealand
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)
Ghost sharks, also known as “spokefish,” are not technically sharks, but are a group of fish closely related to marine predators. One of the new additions to the family this year is Harriotta Aviais described as having a “long, narrow, and concave snout.” long and slender trunk. big eyes. It has “very long and wide pectoral fins” and has a “beautiful chocolate brown color.” But don’t expect to encounter it in the open sea.Harriotta Avia They live on the ocean floor of the Pacific Ocean near New Zealand, about 8,350 feet below the surface water level.
‘Dark oxygen’ on the ocean floor could rewrite the origin of life
One of the wildest underwater discoveries of 2024 wasn’t a new species of life, but a chemical process that could rewrite our understanding of the origins of life itself. Earlier this year, researchers published their findings on polymetallic nodules, natural mineral deposits found on the jet-black ocean floor. But despite the lack of sunlight, there is evidence that these geological formations appear to act as “geobatteries” that can produce trace amounts of oxygen that help support life in the deep sea. . If this is true, Earth’s first life forms may have originated in places no one had previously thought could support life.
Newly discovered jellyfish near Japan may contain multiple poisons
Like many other similar species, the newly discovered St. George’s jellyfish lives approximately 700 feet deep in the Pacific Ocean and hunts bioluminescent prey with its numerous tentacles. However, unlike its relatives, San Jordia Pagesi It packs an “arsenal of venom” unlike any other known jellyfish. Unfortunately, it may be some time before researchers start gathering more information about this creature. Collecting more specimens is difficult, given that jellyfish live in deep-sea volcanic calderas about 450 miles south of Tokyo.
Researchers discover neurological mechanism that controls lures in monkfish
Monkfish are not a new discovery for researchers, but biologists this year confirmed that this strange-looking animal has surprising evolutionary features. Using tracer analysis, the researchers discovered the precise motor neurons that control seduction in the forodersal fin of this subspecies. The location of these motor neurons appears to have shifted during evolution compared to their relatives, indicating an evolutionary influence that extends to terrestrial vertebrates.
More than 100 potentially new marine species discovered near Chile
The 1,800-mile Salas y Gomez ridge near Chile is home to wildlife that looks like it’s from another planet. Earlier this year, researchers surveyed the area using remote-controlled submersibles and recorded more than 100 potential species that had never been seen before. These included crustaceans, molluscs, fish, and even marine mammals. Biologists also spotted some very rare animals, including the whiplash squid.
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