Imagine a place on Earth so deep that Mount Everest could fit inside it with a kilometer to spare. Welcome to the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of our oceans. Plunging nearly 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) below the surface, it’s a world of crushing pressure, freezing temperatures, and absolute darkness. Yet, against all odds, life thrives here.
The pressure in the trench is over 1,000 times greater than at sea level—enough to crush a tank. The creatures that call this place home have evolved incredible adaptations to survive. The delicate-looking Mariana snailfish, for instance, has a flexible skull and bones that can withstand the immense force. Other inhabitants use bioluminescence, creating their own light to hunt, attract mates, or startle predators in the eternal night.
Exploring the trench has revealed bizarre and wonderful animals like the “ghostly” tripod fish that stands on the seafloor and giant, shrimp-like creatures called amphipods. The Mariana Trench is a stark reminder of how little we truly know about our own planet and the resilience of life in the most extreme environments imaginable.
