Animal Life Discovered Underground Near Hydrothermal Vents in the Deep Pacific Seabed

A recent exploration of the Pacific seabed has led to a groundbreaking discovery of animals living underground near deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Researchers from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, led by marine biologist Sabine Gollner, used a deep-diving robot named SuBastian to dig into the ocean floor at the East Pacific Rise. The area is where two tectonic plates meet and gradually spread apart. The team uncovered cavities beneath the seabed harbouring giant tubeworms, snails, and bristle worms. These species were previously known to live around vents but had never been found underground until now.