Marine scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute have discovered a massive underwater mountain, or seamount, located 1,500 kilometers off the coast of Chile.
This gigantic peak, buried beneath layers of sediment and hidden deep in the ocean, measures approximately 3,109 meters (10,200 feet)—the equivalent of stacking 10 Eiffel Towers on top of each other.
The seamount was found on the relatively unexplored Nazca Ridge, which hosts vast mushroom gardens, ancient corals, and some of the ocean's rarest creatures.
The area has been sparsely explored, and the discovery offers a glimpse into the vast ecosystems thriving in the depths of the Pacific.
Photo: Schmidt Ocean Institute
A Peek Into the Deep
Researchers used sonar technology to map the mountain by sending sound waves down to the seabed and measuring the time it took for them to return. The discovery is part of a study in which scientists uncovered 25 underwater mountains in the area earlier this year.
The newly discovered seamount is the largest found so far on the Nazca Ridge.
In fact, researchers estimate there could be at least 100,000 seamounts taller than 1,000 meters scattered across the globe, with much of the deep sea still largely uncharted.
"Only 26% of the Earth's underwater surfaces have been mapped in this kind of detail," the researchers noted in a press release.
Photo: Schmidt Ocean Institute
Rare Creatures of the Deep
In addition to mapping the seamount, scientists deployed an underwater robot to explore its ridges. The video footage captured a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life, including extremely rare species.
Among the most exciting discoveries were sightings of the elusive Bathyphysa conifera, also known as the "spaghetti monster," due to its tangled, spaghetti-like tentacles. The robot also recorded the first-ever footage of a live Promachoteuthis squid, another rare species.
"The seamounts of the Southeast Pacific harbor a remarkable biological diversity, with species not previously found elsewhere," said marine biologist Alex David Rogers, who participated in the expedition.
While this newly found mountain is impressive, it’s far from the largest.
The tallest known underwater mountain is Mauna Kea in Hawaii, which rises 4,205 meters (13,796 feet) above sea level and extends about 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) below to the ocean floor.
With so much of the ocean still unexplored, scientists believe there are even more surprises waiting beneath the surface.
