The SCIENCE of the Deep Sea

Think of the deep sea. What do you think? Monsters, roiling about, eating everything in their path? Or a peaceful, calm, place, full of life and nutrients? It’s actually a mix of both. Yes, it’s quite peaceful at times, full of nutrients, and brimming with life. It’s also a dark dungeon where anything that fits in your mouth is food, filled with horrors big and small alike. You could say it’s a dystopia of sorts, although its residents aren’t exactly sentient.

Striped anglerfish (Antennarius striatus), courtesy Wikipedia

You’d think that down there, at crushing depths no human could withstand, you’d have no light at all. UNTRUE. Bioluminescence is a big part of survival in the deep sea. It’s used in mating, hunting, and calling for help. Calling for help, you ask? Well, here’s one example: A certain species of jellyfish has bioluminescence that it activates when it’s threatened. When that light flashes, Architeuthis, the giant squid, comes rushing over to help it. Why?, you may ask, again. Because the giant squid eats the animal that was attacking the jellyfish. Mutualism. It’s a great thing. The jellyfish gets to live another day, and the giant squid gets a meal. See? Unlike the man-child that lives in your basement, sucking off your resources, which is parasitism, both sides get a benefit. I don’t think the man-child living in your basement actually does anything to benefit you, does he? No. And if he does… I guess that’s mutualism????

Common fangtooth, Anoplogaster cornuta, courtesy Wikipedia

But why?, you may ask. One scientist said that there were no animals in the deep sea because of sunlight not penetrating the vast amount of water there was. Oh boy, was he wrong. In fact, one of the first forms of life on Earth was suspected to live in the deep sea; feeding off of miniature underwater volcanoes spewing nutrients in their most carnal form. But that’s not the only reason life in the deep sea exists today. Life down there flourishes because of “marine snow”, basically dead things and poop from the shallower waters above. The marine snow feeds tiny things; which are then eaten by bigger things; which are eaten by even bigger things, and on and on and on. If marine snow didn’t exist, the deep sea would be vastly different, and limited to mostly tiny shrimp, a few crabs, tubeworms, and some bacteria. Think of that. Most life in the deep sea only exists because of poop. Makes you think differently about the thing we use toilets for. It made me.

A giant isopod (Bathynomus giganteus), courtesy Wikipedia

Overall, the deep sea is weird and wonderful. Full of unexplained mysteries, amazing sights, and monstrous creatures, it’s truly something to think about. We’re learning something new every day in the deep sea. That's something to ponder about.

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