BBC:
A group of UK scientists exploring the ocean floor in the
Caribbean have discovered the deepest set of hydrothermal vents
to date. They are also the hottest, at 401 °C. Reminiscent
of industrial smokestacks, the vents spew out dark water from
narrow chimney-like structures up to 10 m high. The vents are
located in the Cayman Trough, which is formed by the boundary
between two tectonic plates. Using a remotely operated vehicle
launched from the RRS
James Cook, a UK research ship, the team captured live
video images and collected samples over a 24-hour period.
Because of the high temperature of the water that gets vented,
the region also contains unique life forms. Future dives are
planned to gather more data on why and how life evolved in such
a hostile environment, writes David Shukman for the BBC.
