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Scientists Uncover An Incredible World Of 35,000 New Species At The Bottom Of The Ocean

Rare Pictures Reveal The 'Aliens' Living At The Bottom Of Our Oceans
Nitya Rajan

One of the largest studies of the ocean, published in the journal Science, has captured stunning images of the ocean's "invisible" creatures.

Tara Expeditions collected 35,000 samples which revealed a whole host of bacteria, viruses and single-celled organisms that they believe have never been seen before.

The trip cost around six million Euros (four million pounds) and took three years during which an international team visited 35 different countries.

Patrick Wincker, from Genoscope said: "This is the largest DNA sequencing effort ever done for ocean science: analyses revealed around 40 million genes, the vast majority of which are new to science, thus hinting towards a much broader biodiversity of plankton than previously known.“

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The wider purpose of the research is that it will better help scientists to chart how temperature fluctuations associated with climate change will impact the ocean.

Chris Bowler, from CNRS added: “The resources we’ve generated will allow us and others to delve even deeper, and finally begin to really understand the workings of this invisible world.”

Here's snapshot into this "invisible world:"

Stunning Images From Tara Oceans Expeditions
A parasitoid crustacean(01 of08)
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Over 1140 days of expedition and international team visited 35 countries with over 60 stopovers. (credit:M.Ormestad/Kahikai/Tara Oceans)
One of the largest diatoms (02 of08)
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This Lauderia annulata, collected and photographed on board TARA in the Indian Ocean (credit:Christian Sardet/CNRS/Tara Expéditions)
Microzooplankton collected from the Indian Ocean(03 of08)
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The three-year expedition cost about six million Euros ( around four million pounds) (credit:John Dolan/Tara Expéditions)
This shiny critter is known as a Sapphirina copepod(04 of08)
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It has tiny plates on its surface that reflects and diffracts light. (credit:Christian Sardet/ CNRS/ Sharif Mirshak/Parafilms/ Tara Expeditions)
Microzooplankton (05 of08)
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Another type of diatom collected from the Indian Ocean. (credit:John Dolan/CNRS/ Tara Expéditions)
These tiny crustaceans were also found in the samples(06 of08)
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35000 plankton and water samples collected and packed during the expedition. (credit:Noan Le Bescot/Tara Oceans)
Coral(07 of08)
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Among the 35,000 species of bacteria, 5,000 viruses and 150,000 single-celled plants discovered, the team also captured stunning images of coral. (credit:A.Amiel-Kahikai/TaraOceans)
Plankton collected in the Pacific Ocean (08 of08)
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On analysis of the Plankton, scientists said the group appear to be much more diverse than bacteria or animals. (credit:Christian Sardet/Wonders of the Drifting World/ Tara Oceans)
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