New Bizarre Species Discovered in the Antarctic Ocean
This is thrilling news. The Smithsonian recently reported that researchers uncovered dozens of new species during just two expeditions in the Southern Ocean. Among them is the “death ball” sponge, a carnivorous creature that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi thriller. The discovery was hailed as “an achievement highlighting just how little humanity knows about some of the deepest regions of the planet,” according to the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census team behind the research. Here’s the PR link - https://oceancensus.org/press-release-carnivorous-death-ball-sponge-among-30-new-deep-sea-species-from-the-southern-ocean/
The Southern Ocean, also called the Antarctic Ocean, is still largely untapped. It was officially designated as Earth’s fifth ocean in 2021 by the International Hydrographic Organization. Before that, its waters were considered the southern extensions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Remote doesn’t even begin to describe it. Researchers joked that the closest human contact during their expeditions was the International Space Station. I wondered if they ever tried to communicate.
And here’s the kicker: scientists often say we know the surface of the Moon and Mars better than we know the seabed. This catchy line is a call to explore. The deep sea is Earth’s final frontier, and it’s filled with life we’ve barely begun to understand.
Now, scientists are racing to document the 30-plus new bizarre species before they vanish. Some may already be endangered. And we should be racing too. These organisms could hold clues to new medicines, climate resilience, or even evolutionary secrets. The deeper we dive, the more we realize how little we know and how much we stand to lose.
Keep tabs of their expeditions on Instagram @oceancensus - The Ocean Census. Can you imagine being one of the members of this expedition?
