Source: National Geographic
Author: Sarah Gibbens
The underwater footage shows a rare look at the thriving deep-sea life contained in the Gulf of Mexico’s dark depths.
LYING JUST OVER 7,500 feet below the Gulf of Mexico, scientists have found a hidden garden of bamboo coral.
According to video published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, scientists haven’t seen anything like it in the Gulf of Mexico so far.
The government research group found the dense coral bed during a 23-day expedition aboard its Okeanos vessel. It’s the only federally funded vessel devoted entirely to oceanic research. Since mid-April, the group has been exploring features found in the Gulf, a deep-sea region NOAA says is little understood. Many of the expeditions, this one included, were made possible with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) that transmit video signals via satellite to crews watching on deck.
Continue reading and watch the video here.
