Hundreds of people have managed to reach the highest peak on Earth, Mount Everest. But only two have reached the deepest point of the oceans, the Marianas Trench.
But what is more intruiging is the fact that in such deep waters life exists to an extent which has been unknown so far. Until now scientists have thought that life is only possible in waters as deep as 3000ft, where sunlight provides the precondition for life.
Now biologists know that not only sunlight is responsible for life, but also a process called chemosynthesis. This process occurs in water depths of between 9,000 and 15,000ft where mini volcanoes erupt and release plumes of fluids containing metals and sulphides. New life forms have been discovered near the underwater volcanoes and biologists are positive that these life forms get their energy from the heat and the chemicals. New species of marine life is being discovered every ten days nowadays.

One of the newly discovered marine life forms is the Dumbo octopus which uses large ear-like fins to swim. Another one is the hairy angler which uses long antennae to detect movements of fish near its mouth.






















Pictures from The Sunday Times of Sep. 2, 2001