The moment the lights of the remotely operated vehicle flickered on at more than 4,000 metres deep, the ocean floor off Chile revealed a world that few human eyes have ever seen.
It was an alien landscape of spindly corals, shimmering sponge gardens, squat lobsters with beady eyes and an inquisitive red “sea toad” fish that moved across the seafloor with fins like hands. For the scientists aboard the R/V Falkor (too), this was not merely exploration—it was revelation.
The expedition, led by Schmidt Ocean Institute in partnership with Chile’s Universidad Católica del Norte and other international collaborators, explored the vast under-sea ridges formed by the Nazca and Salas y Gómez chains.
Over the course of ten days in early 2024, the team mapped roughly 52,800 km² of terrain and dropped observational robots to depths of up to 4,500 metres.
What the team uncovered surpassed every expectation — over a hundred potential new marine species, many likely never recorded by science before. The sheer abundance and diversity of life hidden in these unexplored depths left the researchers in awe.
Among the most remarkable discoveries were vast colonies of sponges, corals, and other deep-sea organisms that thrive in complete darkness and crushing pressure.
For the scientists, it was a powerful reminder that even in the planet’s most remote corners, the ocean continues to hold secrets beyond imagination, waiting patiently to be revealed.
Into The Abyss: Mapping The Unseen
Far beneath the ocean’s surface, the ridges stretch from Chile’s coastline toward Easter Island, hidden in the vast silence of the deep.
Among them rises a newly discovered seamount called “Solito,” a colossal formation that soars 3,530 metres above the seabed—towering higher than four Burj Khalifas stacked end to end.
As the remotely operated vehicle made its slow descent into the deep, the crew anticipated a desolate landscape. Instead, the darkness unveiled a vibrant undersea world pulsing with color and movement.
Hues of orange, violet, and deep crimson shimmered through the water, casting a surreal glow over the terrain. Towering fan corals clung to rugged cliffs, while vast sponge gardens spread softly across the seabed like woven fabric.
Every frame captured by the cameras revealed life flourishing in silence—ancient, untouched, and enduring in ways that spoke of nature’s quiet strength beneath the waves.
Yet beauty and fragility coexist in this submerged world. The ecosystems discovered are delicate and irreplaceable—many of their inhabitants exist nowhere else on Earth.
Each seamount functions as a biological island, nurturing its own unique community of species and playing a crucial role in maintaining the ocean’s balance.
This extraordinary discovery serves as both a marvel of nature and a quiet reminder of responsibility: even in the planet’s most remote depths, life endures in intricate harmony, deserving both admiration and protection.
Voices From The Deep
From the live-feeds of robotic cameras to the hushed excitement in the control room, the human element of this mission shines.
One scientist described the sensation of seeing a bright red fish “walk” across the seafloor—an entirely unexpected behaviour. Others were captivated by the translucent “glass” squids hovering in the darkness, tentacles drifting like ribbons.
Yet behind the wonder lies purpose. The expedition’s backers emphasise that these discoveries are not simply curiosities—they represent ecosystems worthy of protection.
Many of the seamounts explored lie outside any national jurisdiction and therefore outside standard protections against mining or deep-sea trawling. The findings lend urgency to calls for international marine conservation.
Why It Matters
In a world where so much of the deep ocean remains unexplored, this mission underscores how much we still don’t know about our planet. The discovery of so many potential new species in a short timeframe emphasises how much diversity remains hidden.
Moreover, these seamount ecosystems may be vital to broader ocean health—they provide feeding and breeding grounds for larger migratory species like tuna, sharks, and sea turtles.
The science goes beyond taxonomy. Genetic samples collected on the voyage will help researchers understand evolutionary pathways, adaptation to extreme pressure and cold, and potentially even inform human technologies such as robotics, materials science, and biomedicine.
A Call For Stewardship
The thrill of discovery often captures the imagination, yet this expedition also served as a quiet warning. The deep-sea regions explored were revealed to be highly delicate ecosystems—each one unique and irreplaceable.
Growing industrial interest in extracting minerals such as cobalt, manganese, and rare earth elements now threatens to disturb these fragile habitats.
Without proper international safeguards, the damage could occur long before researchers finish identifying the extraordinary life that thrives there.
The findings emphasize that the health of these underwater worlds is intimately linked to the wellbeing of the broader ocean, underscoring the urgent need for protection before exploration turns into exploitation.
Looking Ahead
The scientists aboard the Falkor believe this is just the beginning. Future missions are already planned to explore additional seamounts along the ridge and expand sampling into an even wider area. The expectation is that thousands more species may emerge from the depths.
The expedition also seeks to drive international policy—the hope is that these findings will support the case for establishing a high-seas marine protected area along the Nazca–Salas y Gómez ridges, beyond Chile’s exclusive economic zone.
Human Meaning In Deep Silence
It’s easy to think of the deep sea as inhospitable and lifeless—yet this research illuminates worlds bursting with life in places scarcely touched by humans. The glowing corals, the spiny urchins, the fish that glide like ghosts—they remind us that discovery doesn’t only happen in jungles or deserts. It happens also in the silent, black realm beneath our waves.
In a way, this long voyage beneath the surface mirrors our deeper human quest: to seek connection, wonder, and humility in the face of something larger than ourselves. These newly discovered species may never become famous; they may never be seen by most people. But they exist. They matter. They invite us to pause, to marvel, to protect.
Conclusion
As we emerge from this expedition’s story, we carry forward more than new names in a ledger of species. We carry hope: hope that the world still holds mysteries, that knowledge still awaits our careful attention, and that in exploring such remote places we might find inspiration—both for science and for stewardship.
The ocean floor may be remote, silent, and dark—but it hums with life, with colour, and with complexity. The message is clear: when we give nature the space to surprise us, it will.
Let us listen, safeguard, and wonder.
