Pacific deep-sea mining interests reveal rare species, and a scramble to name them

Race to name creatures of Pacific Ocean as mining interest grows

PARIS: In the cold, lightless Pacific Ocean deep, the seabed is scattered with metal-rich rocks coveted by miners — and huge numbers of strange and rare animals almost entirely unknown to science. Researchers are scrambling to name thousands of these newly discovered species. The mining industry is pushing regulators to finalise rules that could open the way for extraction in parts of the vast Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), stretching between Ha…

Race to name creatures of the deep as mining interest grows

In the cold, lightless Pacific Ocean deep, the seabed is scattered with metal-rich rocks coveted by miners -- and huge numbers of strange and rare animals almost entirely unknown to science.

Pacific deep-sea mining interests reveal rare species, and a scramble to name them

As deep-sea mining interests in the Pacific Ocean grow, scientists have discovered several rare and as yet unnamed aquatic species. Campaigners warn that mining in the waters between Hawaii and Mexico will endanger the biodiversity in one of the Earth's largest and least understood environments.

Ocean Census Expeditions Discover More Than 800 New Marine Species

Involving more than 800 scientists from more than 400 institutions worldwide, Ocean Census has embarked on ten expeditions and numerous workshops—so far—with a sole aim: discovering new species in the “world’s greatest frontier.” Last week, the organization announced that it had discovered 866 new species, further advancing our understanding of marine biodiversity. Among the finds is a newly identified guitar shark, which belongs to a distinctiv…

Sydney, 18 March 2025 (AFP) – Kiribati Islands, in the Pacific Ocean, announced on Monday evening that it would consider a "potential collaboration" with China to explore their mineral-rich seabed, an activity criticized for its environmental risks. The government of this island state of 130,000 inhabitants announced that it had started discussions with China on a [...] Read more Kiribati is discussing an agreement with China to explore their se…

Climate Change: Is the Ocean Calling Out for Our Help? - Pager Power

Recent sightings of rare deep-sea creatures washing ashore have ignited concerns surrounding environmental disasters and climate change. This article dips into the known impacts of climate change on deep-sea ecology, before assessing the role of renewables in mitigating ocean warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Recent Sightings of Deep-Sea Creatures at the Surface A humpback anglerfish, also known as the “black sea monster”, was recent…