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Comments: Giant one-celled organisms discovered over six miles below the ocean's surface We offer two comment systems: our "Add a comment" system (no registration) and a social media system (registration with Disqus required). Either one will allow you to post a comment here.
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Copyright mongabay 2010
Reddit sent me to correct your spelling mistakes.
It's "Mariana" not "Marina" or "Marine".
Hi Dylan,
Thanks so much to you and Redditors for catching that so quickly. We fixed it ASAP. The piece had been accidentally published before a proper editorial review.
Discoveries like this are exactly why I'm studying to become a biologist in school. This is just so fascinating.
why cant they extract this from the ocean and study it? I get that its deep but if a camera can go that deep why not some kindof robot device.
We cannot extract these creatures because they exist only in nearly unfathomably extreme conditions. There are 5280 feet in every mile. These creature were found 6.6 miles beneath the ocean surface. That depth converts to 34,848 ft. Atmospheric pressure uniformly increases at 33 foot intervals. At a depth of 34,848 feet, the pressure is equal to 1,056 atmospheres. An atmosphere averages 30 pounds per square inch. At a depth of 6.6 miles, the creature in question exists and thrives in a world with no light, sub-zero cold and SEVENTEEN AND A HALF TONS of pressure per square inch. It's a job for Sealab 2021.
Aren't ostrich eggs larger and single cells?
@Nathan at those depths there is extreme pressure being exerted on the organism. if it were exhumed it would surely be destroyed by the vastly varying pressures.
-Frank
Bliko: an ostrich egg may be the largest cell, but it is not an independent, viable lifeform until that egg is fertilized, develops, and hatches. The largest independent unicellular life is the Caulerpa algae.
Here is the Scripps press release:
http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/Releases/?releaseID=1206
Notice how even though the press release writers may not be journalists, they still manage to lead with the who, what, when, why, and how. Read the first paragraph of the mongabay story and you learn little, a theme that continues throughout the article.
How do we know its "one cell"? I'm not questioning the scientist that found it, I just want to know.
How do we know its "one cell"? I'm not questioning the scientist that found it, I just want to know.