From mysterious ocean sounds to an icy finger of death, here are 10 strange things happening
in the ocean!!!
10. Undersea Rivers
It’s easy to look at the ocean and see it as a large mass of water, without many of
the features that we see on dry land. But the ocean is full of surprises!! Researchers
discovered in the 1980s that things weren’t quite as simple as that, when technology allowed
them to map the ocean’s floor for the first time.
Stretching away from the coast of California is a geological formation that has all the
features of a river system. Two miles beneath the Pacific Ocean, is a deep canyon, which
leads into a valley that stretched for 200 miles before spilling out onto the abyssal
plain of the ocean.
Channels like this have been discovered all over the world, with some running for thousands
of miles and comparable in size to the longest rivers on land. They have banks along their
sides, tributaries that feed into them, they take meandering paths, and can even form oxbow
lakes. Perhaps the most curious thing about these river formations is the fact that they
aren’t as a result of the flow of water but, instead, by slurries of silt and sand
that cascade along the channels and erode the seabed along the way. This torrent is
similar to the Colorado River that carved out the grand canyon!
These undersea rivers are some of the least understood phenomena on the planet!!
9. Crop Circles
Crop circles can be creepy. Whether you believe crop circles in farmers’ fields are a result
of alien activity or just some artistic people, similar crop circles were found under the
water. Researchers were scratching their heads as to how they were being formed. They were
first discovered in 1995 off the coast of Japan, and soon a large number of them had
been found in the surrounding waters. These concentric circles are meticulously designed,
and surely couldn’t have been caused by ocean currents.
After a great deal of observation, the true reason was found- it’s all the result of
Pufferfish love! Biologists discovered a new species of pufferfish! The patterns were being
formed by the males of the species to attract females. The small 5-inch fish would flap
their fins as they swam along the sea floor in little circles, and disrupt the sediment
to make the patterns. Scientists were very surprised that something so small could make
something so big!! They were expecting a much bigger fish! Sometimes these underwater crop
circles can be up to 7 feet in diameter! These geometric patterns are extremely unique. The
male will even decorate the ridges with bits of shell and different color sediment to make
it more beautiful! It takes this puffer fish between 7-9 days to complete the circle!!
Once complete, the females inspect the circles. If they are impressed, then you can imagine
what happens. If not, they move on to find a more worthy mate.
And now for number 8, but first if you are new here welcome! And be sure to subscribe
before you leave!! For you returning subs, glad to see you again! A mysterious sound
is coming up!
8. Hydrothermal Vents
In 1977, a team of researchers set off to investigate a temperature anomaly that had
been discovered to the northeast of the Galapagos Islands, and what they found changed our understanding
of the underwater environment.
At more than 8000 feet (2550 m) below the surface, they were the first to discover a
hydrothermal vent. These are structures that can project up from the seafloor to the height
of a 10 storey building! Like an underwater volcano!! What’s strange, and incredible,
is that the water they shoot out from the Earth’s crust comes out at over 350° Celsius
(662° Fahrenheit) without boiling! Even more amazing is the amount of life that they sustain
so deep down in the ocean.
Also known as black smokers, huge plumes of black, superheated and mineral rich water
shoots out of these chimneys. Despite the scorching temperatures, life thrives here.
Deep sea chemosynthetic bacteria create energy from the chemicals being released, and they
act as a food source for larger organisms. So intertwined is this ecosystem, that some
tube worms have evolved without a gut- relying solely on the bacteria as an energy source.
These tube worms live inside the chimneys, and can grow to as long as six and a half
feet (2 meters)!
7. Red Tide
A red tide can occur in virtually every coastal region in the world. In fact, it has been
reported in every US state with a shoreline, and incidences are thought to be on the rise.
The official name for this is a Harmful Algal Bloom, or HAB, and it happens when colonies
of algae grow out of control. Normally these simple plants are harmless, but when they
form like this, they can become toxic to people, birds, and marine life. They also poison the
animals that swim in the area so it is very dangerous to eat them. Earlier this month
the worst red tide in over 10 years has left hundred of animals dead on Florida beaches.
This is just a fraction of those that die in the ocean and sink to the bottom so we
can’t know the extent of the damage.
It is also dangerous for humans. It can make it very difficult to breathe, and cause respiratory
problems even after you leave the beach. Contaminated water can cause rashes and if swallowed, can
even cause liver failure.
Not every HAB becomes toxic, as it depends on which species of algae is flourishing,
but even the harmless ones can have a detrimental impact. As they die and decompose, the oxygen
in the water becomes depleted, which causes mass fatalities of fish that rely on it.
The recent algal blooms in Florida are toxic and very dangerous. They come from runoff
containing human and animal waste and fertilizers that pollute the runoff, but help the deadly
algae grow. Other deadly blooms around the world are still
a mystery.
6. The Julia Sound
There’s a lot we don’t understand about the underwater world, especially certain noises
that can be difficult to explain. One such noise is known as the ‘Julia’ sound, and
was recorded on March 1st 1999. This low whining was so loud that it could be heard across
the entire equatorial Pacific ocean autonomous hydrophone array. What is this? A network
of underwater microphones that are positioned around the Pacific ocean and measure audible
events.
Listen closely!! The sound lasted for about 15 seconds, and
researchers weren’t sure, at first, what could cause such a loud noise. Was it a previously
undiscovered creature? Or maybe a weapons test or accident? Was someone calling for
Julia underwater??
The real cause was finally determined and, while maybe not as exciting as some of the
initial suggestions, it shows just how powerful events on our planet can be. It’s now thought
that the Julia sound was a result of an iceberg that had broken free from Antarctica, and
run aground in one of the shallow seas off the coast.These events actually happen quite
often, and there have been a number of other strange noises that have also been attributed
to icebergs….Or so they say...
5. Black Holes
When you think of a black hole, you probably think of outer space, but now, scientists
have discovered that black holes are closer than you think.
Black holes can suck up matter from anything around them and nothing can escape, not even
sound or light.
Researchers from Miami and Switzerland argue that an ocean eddy, also known a a maelstrom,
acts the same as a black hole but instead of not allowing light to escape, it doesn’t
allow water to escape.
These maelstroms can grow to be larger than cities and wind up many billions of tonnes
of ocean water, and nothing can escape once it has become trapped. These phenomenon are
being discovered more and more, and some have been found to be so powerful, that not even
a single drop of water has escaped in more than a year! They follow the same mathematical
principles of their outer space relatives, and are now thought to be an important way
in which organisms and nutrients are carried around the oceans. Eventually the maelstroms
lose their energy, and everything they contain is deposited wherever they end up.
4. Fairy Circles
When tourists and researchers started noticing strange bald patches in the seagrass meadows
of the Mediterranean and Baltic seas, they were stumped as to what might be causing them.
They were perfect rings with no vegetation. Affectionately known as ‘fairy circles’,
they are clearly observable from overhead images of the deep blue ocean and, in some
cases, from shore.
Unfortunately it was soon discovered that these weren’t being formed by magical creatures.
At first scientists thought it was caused by bomb explosions leftover from the wars.
But enough time had passed where the grass should have grown back by now.
Instead the rings are caused by pollution and temperature changes. These conditions
are causing species around the world to seek out new habitats, and in the case of the seagrass
meadows, foreign species are invading the regions and causing the grass to die off.
With so much of the local ecosystems relying on the meadows, it’s not known yet how much
of an effect this increasingly common occurrence will have on the local populations. But entire
ecosystems are at risk of extinction and the consequences could be dire.
3. Internal Waves
We’ve all seen images of giant waves on the ocean’s surface, but did you know that
the largest waves of all are hidden out of view, deep below what we can see? Known as
internal waves, the biggest are found in the Luzon Strait of the South China sea, and can
reach up to 550 feet (167 m) tall. Located between Taiwan and the Philippines, these
internal waves sound pretty strange! Fortunately, these swells don’t really affect
shipping routes above, but understanding how they work is crucial for scientists to understand
the internal processes of the ocean. It’s thought that these waves push large quantities
of heat, salt, and nutrients throughout the ocean.
They happen around the world, but are particularly large in this region because of the unique
topography of the seabed. The spacing between two submerged ridges is perfect for creating
massive waves, where currents push the cold, heavy water across and first form a standing
wave, that grows into the much larger internal waves. Studies on these processes have suggested
that they are one of the main ways in which warm water from the surface is pulled down
into the depths, and one of the most effective ways in which the ocean’s temperature is
maintained. It could also be critical in understanding the global climate.
2. Bioluminescence
One of the most beautiful things you’ll ever see in the sea is bioluminescence. It
can be caused by a wide variety of creatures such as bacteria, plankton, worms, snails,
fish, jellyfish, and even sharks!
In the Hawaiian islands you can go snorkelling with glowing bobtail squid, or in Puerto Rico
you can kayak over a sparkling blue ocean that’s lit up at night by glow in the dark
organisms called dinoflagellates. There are similar sights to be seen in New Zealand,
the Maldives, and many, many other places- all of which are caused by different creatures,
and create a completely unique experience.
Scientists don’t really know why nature created bioluminescence but there are a number
of theories. It’s caused by the presence of a chemical called luciferin. For many it’s
to do with navigating in dark waters, to attract prey, or as a defence against potential predators.
It’s also maybe used as a form of communication, or as camouflage. Some events only occur during
certain stages of the moon’s cycle, which relate to the breeding habits of some crustaceans.
There is more going on than we know!!
1. The Icy Finger of Death
The Icy Finger of Death is undoubtedly the strangest thing that happens in the ocean,
and potentially one of the most deadly. It’s a phenomenon that’s only recently been discovered
happening beneath icebergs, and has fatal consequences for any slow-moving animal caught
in its path.
Also known as a “brinicle”, it happens because of the way water moves through the
ice. Salt water has a lower freezing point, so it trickles through the otherwise solid
ice, before being ejected out the bottom. At this point, the brine/salt water is colder
than freezing point, and much denser than the ocean water, so it sinks straight towards
the bottom. As it’s so cold, it immediately freezes the water it comes into contact with,
and forms an icy sheath around itself.
This icy finger is very delicate, because it’s hollow on the inside, but the most
fascinating thing is what happens when the cold water reaches the sea bed. Here, the
effect branches out, and instantly freezes anything that it comes into contact with-
even sea stars, crabs, and urchins. The poor guys dont stand a chance!!!
Thanks for watching!! Hope you learned something new today!! Remember to subscribe and see
you soon!! Byeeeee!!