Victor Vescovo discovered four new crustacean species during his dive to the deepest part of the Mariana Trench, but also found plastic waste. The dive was part of the “Five Deeps Expedition,” and samples will be examined for microplastics.
In May 2019, humans went further than ever into the depths of the ocean, only to find that in a regrettable way, they’ve been there before. Diving to an unprecedented depth of 35,849 feet (10,927 m), American investor and undersea explorer Victor Vescovo has discovered what his team believes are four new species of crustacean. He also reported seeing plastic waste lying at the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, no doubt some of the millions of tons of waste that ends up in the ocean every year. Vescovo’s dive in a submarine built to withstand the incredible pressure of the deep was part of a recently completed quest known as the “Five Deeps Expedition,” in which he dived to the deepest point in each of Earth’s oceans. The Mariana Trench team has collected many samples, including some of the creatures that call the ocean floor home, which will be examined to see if they contain microplastics. Recent research has found that many animals, even those that live far from direct human interaction, contain bits of potentially harmful human waste.
A virtual dive into the Mariana Trench:
If Mt. Everest was moved to the deepest part of the trench, its peak would still have fallen more than a mile below the surface.
The trench is more than 1,580 miles (2,540 km) long, but its average width is only 43 miles (69 km).
The water pressure in the deepest part of the trench is equivalent to the weight of 50 jumbo jets.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
