Scientists say they have discovered the whale skeleton found on the ocean floor near Antarctica. Resting nearly a mile below the surface, the boneyard is teeming with strange life, including at least nine new species of tiny of deep-sea creatures, according to a new study.
Though whales naturally sink to the ocean floor when they die, it’s extremely rare for scientists to come across these final resting places, known as “whale falls.” Discovering one typically requires a remote-controlled undersea vehicle and some luck.
The team’s chance encounter with a 35-foot spread of bones that belonged to a southern Minke whale came as they were exploring an undersea crater near the South Sandwich Islands.
Click here for the full report by The Christian Science Monitor.
