Meet the creatures that live beyond the abyss

(BBC): It is pitch black, icy cold and the pressure is phenomenal. The deepest parts of the ocean are some of the least hospitable places on Earth – yet footage from recent expeditions reveals that life in the oceanic trenches is thriving. many trenches contain an abundant food supply, especially those close to the coast. Organic matter drifts into the depressions, sinking to the bottom, contained by the steepsides. But while scientists knew that fauna could survive here – and early trawling expeditions gave some idea of a trench’s biology – a broader picture of deep-sea life has only emerged more recently.

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