Mariana Trench: What’s inside? From bamboo corals to snail fish

The Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean is probably one of the most exotic places you can imagine, and every time something is found down there it hits the headlines. Thus, it is (sad) the news that microplastics have been found even in those abysses, and the discovery of viruses capable of infecting bacteria almost nine thousand meters deep, in the same way that the observation of fish that live eight thousand meters deep (a record recently taken away by the discovery of a snail fish in the Japanese ocean trenches). It could not be otherwise, given the totally exceptional nature of that medium. Of which in recent years, thanks to the advancement of technology and investment in missions at the limit, we know more and more.

Indeed, The Mariana Trench is exceptionaland not only because it houses the deepest known place in the worldalmost 11,000 meters deep. Exceptionality concerns the entire environment of the ocean depression and the associated islands, as the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recalls, studded with underwater volcanoes, hydrothermal vents, a source of liquid carbon dioxide and even a lake with liquid sulfur, waters sometimes very hot with high levels of acidity, not to mention the very high pressures in the deepest areas and absence of light.

It is clear that such an environment (which is far from being homogeneous, since The entire Mariana Trench area is actually very largeas it extends over 2,500 km with a width of about 70 km) is quite fascinating not only for geologists, but also for biologists and zoologists, and not only by virtue of the record depths that are reached there.

What’s inside the Mariana Trench?

Over the years, various explorations (even with illustrious personalities, such as the film director James Cameronwho accomplished the feat of descending into the Mariana Trench in 2012) have shed light on the rich animal zoo that inhabit it. Some of them are worth mentioning, because they have very special characteristics. It couldn’t be any other way.