From a lost submarine to glowing sea creatures, here are 11 incredible discoveries made underwater!!
11.
Antykithera Man
The Antikythera wreck might just be the world's most famous shipwreck!
The Roman-era ship went down around 86 BC, and is believed to have been carrying part
of the loot from a Roman General after a successful campaign.
It has given us hundreds of treasures including the Antikythera mechanism, often referred
to as the world’s oldest analog computer.
The mechanism is actually an ancient Greek astronomical calculator made up of around
30 bronze gears.
Discovered in 1900, expeditions have been going on for years bringing up hundreds of
bronze and marble statues, coins, jars and all kinds of jewelry.
But even more surprising has been the more recent discovery of human remains of the crew
and passengers!
Remains of around 4 people have been found over the years but in 2016 a team uncovered
a whole new skeleton and were finally able to perform DNA analysis.
It was the first time in 40 years that a new skeleton had been discovered and finally with
modern technology we can get a lot more information!
Ancient DNA expert Hannes Schroeder says that the discovery might provide the first opportunity
to examine the genetics of an ancient mariner.
Human remains from ancient shipwrecks are extremely uncommon as you can imagine, especially
for thousands of years ago!!
It looks like it was a man that may have been trapped below decks when the ship sunk.
Researchers are hoping to find even more human remains in the wreck.
10.
A Missing WWII Submarine
Diver and wreck hunter Massimo Domenico Bordone was out exploring off the coast of Sardinia
when he came across a missing wreck from WWII.
It was the long lost British submarine HMS P311, the only unnamed T-class boat.
Although it was covered in seaweed and algae, Bordone was able to identify the vessel by
the two Chariot-style torpedoes.
These were propulsion vehicles that were fitted to secret naval weapons in WWII where a diver
would actually ride in it.
The 275-foot submarine (84 meters) sits at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, under
328 feet of water (100 meters).
Before the vessel was found by Bordone and his team, it was last seen on December 28,
1942, as it left Scotland on its way to Malta carrying 71 servicemen.
The HMS P311 then seemingly vanished into thin air.
Chances are, the submarine was sunk by an Italian mine, but nobody knows for sure.
All 71 lives on board were lost.
As soon as Bordone saw it he said that all he could think about was the destiny of the
men who met their deaths underwater.
Their remains are believed to be sealed inside the vessel.
It will most likely never be opened and the submarine will be left alone in its final
resting place in honor of the fallen.
Relatives of one of the lost men told Massimo: “Sir on behalf of the family of Able Seaman
L Auty, I would like to thank you for finding HMS P311 and the care and respect that you
have shown to those that perished.
You have my grateful respect.”
9.
Baiae
Did you know that Planet Earth contains 20 known supervolcanoes, which are capable of
erupting with a volume thousands of times stronger than an average volcano??
I didn’t but now I have one more thing to worry about!!
One such supervolcano, known as Campi Flegrei (“Phlegraean Fields”), is situated northwest
of modern-day Naples, Italy.
And while it’s been thousands of years since it erupted, there’s always a possibility
of history repeating itself.
The Ancient Romans were blissfully unaware of this danger when they built Baiae, a resort
town that was once famous for its hot springs.
It served as a playground of sorts for Roman elites, including Nero, Cicero, and Julius
Caesar, who built villas there.
Baiae was also known for scandal and corruption, including wild parties, heavy drinking, and
promiscuity.
Despite its close proximity to Campi Flegrei, the city did not succumb to a volcanic eruption.
It also survived being sacked during the barbarian invasions and again in the 8th century by
Muslim raiders.
But malaria became an ongoing problem, and by 1500, Baiae was completely abandoned.
Mosquitoes have changed history more than you think!!
Its ruins partially sank into the Mediterranean Sea due to hydrothermal activity causing some
of the deserted town to fall below sea level.
This appears to have occurred in two phases, first happening sometime between the third
and fifth centuries and once again before the eighth century, ultimately submerging
nearly the entire lower section.
Today, the city’s underwater ruins serve as one of few marine archaeological parks
that are open to visitors, allowing visitors a firsthand glimpse at the crumbling structures
via snorkeling, scuba diving, and glass-bottomed boats.
That is definitely on my bucket list!!
How about you??
What’s on your bucket list?
Let me know in the comments below!!
8.
Underwater Rivers
Last year, scientists from the University of Western Australia published a study detailing
the fascinating discovery of an abundance of massive underwater rivers- technically
known as “dense shelf water cascades”.
Found along the continental shelf, they are almost like underwater waterfalls!!
Underwater rivers form when shallow, highly saline coastal waters lose heat during colder
months.
These streams are denser than the surrounding deeper waters, causing them to flow offshore
along the ocean floor.
This phenomenon was already known prior to this recent study, but our understanding was
quite limited and didn’t account for changes in seasons or anything like that.
The underwater rivers off Australia occur across a 6,213-mile (10,000 km) span during
the fall and winter months.
They are so powerful, they can sustain high winds and high tides, making them unique among
underwater rivers observed in other parts of the world.
Scientists found that these streams play an important role by transporting material and
matter from the continental shelf into deeper parts of the ocean.
These and other discoveries are increasingly being made thanks to advanced technology.
To document the underwater rivers in detail, the team deployed autonomous marine vehicles
called ocean gliders, which traveled through the water collecting data that cannot be observed
with the naked eye.
You can’t just send a diver to get swept away into the deep sea in an underwater river!
The data used in the study spanned an entire decade, giving researchers a detailed look
at the phenomenon’s long-term behavior.
And now for number 7 but first it’s shout out time!!
Wanted to give a big shout out to Zia Mystics and Ashley Sue!!!
Thanks so much for joining us and always take advantage of those days off!!!
If you are new here be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on more videos like these!!
7.
Oldest Seawall
Humans have long favored coastal life because it’s beautiful, and because you can take
advantage of resources on land and at sea.
But life near the ocean means adapting to the ever-changing coastline, especially when
it comes to storms and rising sea levels.
You kind of think twice about that nice house on the beach when a hurricane is on the way!!
So, we build sea walls.
In late 2019, archaeologists announced the discovery of the world’s oldest known sea
wall off northern Israel’s Carmel coast.
It was found near 15 Neolithic villages located as much as 660 feet (200 meters) from the
modern shoreline.
Most of the time, these submerged structures are covered in sand, which helps to preserve
them but obscures them from view.
Every now and then, however, a storm reveals parts of the villages before covering them
back up a few days later.
This is how the seawall was discovered, opening a very narrow window of time for archaeologists
to document it.
Dating back roughly 7,000 years to the Stone Age, the seawall measures about 330 feet (100
meters) long, showing that even during prehistoric times, people faced some of the same issues
as we do today when it comes to combating the encroaching sea.
The wall is made up of large boulders, with each measuring as much as three feet (one
meter) wide or more and weighing more than 1.1 tons (one metric ton).
It’s located next to an ancient underwater town called Tel Hreiz, which likely contained
a population of a few hundred people who made olive oil and engaged in other agricultural
activities.
Experts believe that Tel Hreiz sat somewhere between seven and 10 feet (2.1-3 meters) above
sea level when it was built.
At the time, sea levels were rising rapidly as glaciers melted -- so much so that even
if the ocean did not initially swallow the town, brutal storm surges became a problem,
prompting residents to build the wall.
Eventually, however, they were left with no choice but to relocate further inland.
6.
Glowing Snails
Biofluorescence is a trait most typically observed in bony fishes that live in tropical
regions, where the supply of daylight is more consistent.
It’s when organisms absorb and re-emit light, so sunlight is an essential ingredient for
biofluorescence.
But the limited daylight in polar regions for much of the year, makes it less likely
to spot animals that glow in the dark in these places.
Until very recently, a biofluorescent species had never been observed in Arctic waters.
That all changed when researchers spotted snails glowing red and green off the Greenland
Coast and in the Bering Strait off Alaska!!
It looks like biofluorescence is completely possible during times when the Arctic experiences
prolonged daylight.
The authors of the study were pretty surprised.
Marine fluorescence is pretty rare in the Arctic so they were shocked when they spotted
juvenile snailfish brightly showing off their fluorescence in not just one, but two different
colors!!
Pretty impressive right?
Have you ever been diving??
Have you ever spotted a glowing organism??
Let me know in the comments below!!
Researchers said that this was very unusual in a single species!!
They are working to better understand biofluorescence across fish species in general.
That was hard to say.
Fish species!
It’s probably used for many things that we are just starting to learn about!!
5.
Trapped Sea Creatures
Rising global temperatures recently caused an iceberg roughly two times the size of New
York City to break free from the Antarctic ice sheet and drift into the Weddell Sea.
Shortly thereafter, scientists aboard the German vessel Polarstern traveled to the narrow
stretch of water that now separates the iceberg from the rest of the continent, where they
took extensive footage and thousands of pictures of the creatures living below the area that
was covered in thick ice for over 50 years!
They discovered a biodiverse community of mollusks, filter feeders, sea stars, sea cucumbers,
five or more fish species, and two species of squid.
The findings came not long after researchers aboard another vessel spotted a sea sponge
colony 3,000 feet (900 meters) below the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf.
Scientists are perplexed by the presence of sea sponges and other stationary filter feeders
beneath ice, because these life forms rely on sunlight for photosynthesis so they are
typically found in the sunniest parts of the ocean.
Finding entire communities of creatures living in the dark makes no sense.
The discoveries prove that somehow, nutrients are making their way thousands of feet under
the ice shelves of Antarctica to provide food for these bottom-dwelling organisms.
Researchers took sediment samples from the ocean floor to try to better understand how
the ecosystem works!
4.
Underwater Artwork
When sea levels were much lower during the Pleistocene epoch, the coast of southern France
extended several miles further outward than it does today.
During that time, prehistoric people living in the area entered a seaside cave that sat
as much as 330 feet (100 meters) above sea level and covered the walls with ancient artwork
depicting hand stencils and a variety of land and sea animals, such as bison, ibex, horses,
auks (a type of bird), and seals.
Over thousands of years, the water rose, eventually submerging roughly four-fifths of the cave,
including its entrance, which now sits at roughly 121 feet (37 meters) below sea level.
Diver Henri Cosquer discovered the paintings in 1985 and kept quiet about the discovery.
Sadly the site became widely known in 1991, after three divers got lost in the cave and
died.
Researchers said that this is the only painted cave in the world with an entrance below present-day
sea level where cave art has been preserved from the flooding that occurred when the seas
rose after the end of the last Ice age.
At least that has been found!
You have to admit it has to be quite a special set of conditions for the water to stop filling
up a prehistoric cave just enough to keep the artwork safe!!
No other Paleolithic art had previously been discovered in the area and the paintings are
estimated to be between 19,000 and 27,000 years old.
Today, Cosquer Cave is accessible to divers via a 574-foot-long (175 meters) tunnel, which
features submerged artwork leading up to the part of the cave that remains above sea level.
That's pretty cool too!
I have to work on my diving skills!!
3.
Beagle Channel Projectile Point
Located in Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego archipelago at the extreme tip of South America,
the Beagle Channel is the site of a fascinating 2018 discovery of an ancient projectile point
deeper underwater than any others ever found in the region.
Biologists found the prehistoric artifact while dredging the water about a mile from
shore and alerted archaeologist Atilio Zangrando, who recognized it as something remarkable.
The discovery begged the question of how the projectile point ended up where it was found,
and figuring out the answer could help researchers better understand the movement of the region’s
earliest human population.
Determining the item’s age is the first step to solving the mystery, as the Beagle
Channel’s water levels have changed over time.
During the last ice age, for example, water levels were much lower, and the Beagle Channel
was merely a lake.
Sea levels rose when glaciers melted at the end of the last ice age, starting around 15,000
years ago, dramatically altering the landscape and turning the lake into the Beagle Channel
as we know it today.
The point could have been from a hunting spear on land, OR it could mean that people here
were hunting in the water.
People began using rudimentary boats and watercraft at least 7000 years ago and maybe a hunter
used it as a harpoon!
Unfortunately, scientists cannot radiocarbon date the artifact because it contains no organic
matter.
And since it was removed from the water there’s no way to tell if there were other artifacts
nearby.
Researchers are on the case to learn more about the people who created it.
2.
Prehistoric Aboriginal Settlement
Australia’s first human settlers arrived around 65,000 years ago, but scientists have
only started undertaking large-scale efforts to recover Aboriginal sites and artifacts
in recent years.
A groundbreaking study published last year describes one such site that, like many others,
became submerged amid rising sea levels after the end of the last ice age.
Discovered off Murujuga (also called the Dampier Archipelago) in northwestern Australia as
part of an ongoing project called Deep History of Sea Country, the settlement dates back
roughly 7,000 years.
Led by maritime archaeologist Jonathon Benjamin of Flinders University, the team chose the
site knowing that 18,000 years ago, its coastline extended roughly 100 miles (161 km) farther
than it does today.
After an exhaustive search using boats equipped with sonar and LiDAR-mounted planes, a team
member discovered a tool made from igneous rock.
From there, they found more, amounting to 269 artifacts total.
Nearby, in Flying Foam Passage, the researchers discovered a second site containing a stone
tool dating back at least 8,500 years.
These are the first known marine archaeological sites in the tropics dating back more than
5,000 years.
The tools appear to have been used for practical purposes like scraping, cutting, hammering,
and grinding.
Sites like these can help experts learn more about how ancient people made their way from
Southeast Asia to Australia -- if scientists can successfully campaign for the same level
of protection from offsea development that is afforded to shipwrecks.
1.
World War I Submarine
In 2019, archaeologists with Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)
announced the discovery of the first-ever historical submarine found in the country’s
waters.
Known as the USS H-1 Seawolf, the vessel was spotted off the shore of Santa Margarita Island
in the state of Baja California Sur.
Built in San Francisco in 1909, the sub was used by the U.S. Navy to patrol the Atlantic
coast of Long Island during World War I.
While en route back to California in 1920, the Seawolf ran aground during a storm.
U.S. Navy ships tried, but failed to get the vessel floating again.
It was abandoned, and numerous shipwreck experts tried finding it in the decades that followed,
but with no luck.
Acting on a tip from photojournalist Alfredo Martínez, archaeologists finally located
the submarine in Magdalena Bay off Santa Margarita in 2016.
Locals had seen it at various times over the years, and at some point, the Seawolf was
looted for its bronze parts.
The badly-damaged vessel measures 145 feet (44.3 meters), according to measurements taken
in recent years.
Researchers performed two dives and took detailed measurements and thousands of photographs
of the submarine before the elements further destroyed what’s left of it.
Over the following years, they plan to continue monitoring the progression of decay and identify
areas of the sunken vehicle that have been looted.