In this BBC Earth Unplugged video, biologist Tim Shank shares some fascinating deep sea animal specimens, including tube worms and giant amphipods that are “normally the size of a flea.” He explains:
Our discovery rate is so great. We go down there and we find new species every time we go out. At the hydrothermal vents alone we’ve discovered, on average, a new species every 10 days for 35 years. And we’ve only explored less than 1% of our deep ocean.
He also highlights some of the challenges around pollution at these depths, as well as the medical possibilities that could result from the study of creatures like these.
Watch these deep sea videos next: Into the Deep Unknown with biologist Diva Amon, these eerie critters, and incredible first footage of an anglerfish pair.
Plus: Why Do Deep Sea Creatures Look So Scary? and how deep is the ocean?
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