An international research expedition, led by Chinese scientists, has discovered the deepest chemosynthetic ecosystems ever recorded in the Kuril-Kamchatka and Aleutian trenches of the Pacific Ocean. The mission, utilizing the advanced submersible Fendouzhe, explored the hadal zone, reaching depths of up to 9,533 meters (31,276 feet). These findings, published in the journal Nature on July 30, 2025, reveal thriving communities of tube worms and clams that sustain themselves through chemosynthesis, harnessing chemical energy from methane and hydrogen sulfide seeping from the ocean floor.
This groundbreaking research fundamentally challenges existing perceptions of life's resilience in extreme environments. The discovered ecosystems, characterized by dense populations of organisms potentially new to science, demonstrate remarkable adaptability to immense pressure and complete darkness. The principle of chemosynthesis observed here has significant implications for the search for extraterrestrial life, offering a model for life in subsurface oceans on other planets. The expedition also mapped these communities as more extensive than previously anticipated, contributing to a better understanding of the ocean's role in the global carbon cycle.