Stunning find discovered hiding in the ocean's 'twilight zone'

Only around 20% of the ocean floor has been mapped, according to UNESCO. That means there is so much more to be discovered.

Scientists had a glimpse of what that may entail when they happened upon a remarkable marine rarity in November, found at previously unimaginable depths.

There may be a whole new world of undiscovered ecosystems in the ocean — we just have to dive down to meet them.

Contents

Ocean secrets
Other worlds
Fantastic creatures

Ocean secrets

Within the ocean’s “twilight zone,” where just enough light can reach to sustain life, there is a perfectly pristine coral reef that stretches for nearly 2 miles (3.2 kilometers).

The reef and its stunning rose-shaped corals were found off the coast of Tahiti. So far, it has been entirely untouched by the climate crisis.

Warming oceans have been the cause of widespread coral bleaching, and scientists predict about 70% to 90% of all living coral will disappear in the next 20 years. Coral reefs are crucial to Earth’s biodiversity, serving as a food source and a habitat for many ocean creatures.

But the discovery of this reef provides hope. As divers spend hours uncovering its many wonders, the new reef could hold the secret to saving other endangered habitats under the sea.

Other worlds

Flight delays can happen on other planets, too.

An unusually strong storm has postponed the 19th flight of the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars. The little chopper and its pal, the Perseverance rover, hunkered down as a regional dust storm overtook their parking spot in Jezero Crater at the beginning of the year.

The storm has dissipated, and Ingenuity is ready to take to the Martian skies again on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Curiosity rover made an unexpected find on Mars — and the potential existence of ancient life may be just one possible explanation for the discovery.

Fantastic creatures

The spectacled bear gets its name from the yellowish-white marks around its eyes that resemble a pair of glasses.

If you’re familiar with the fictional character Paddington Bear, then you may know about the real animal he’s based on — the only species of its kind that lives in South America.

The enigmatic spectacled…

Source : cnn