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A group of Antarctica divers has been going for a swim more often recently under the ice and has discovered some "giant" sea creatures that were believed to have evolved through time, thanks to the harsh climate conditions that the world is experiencing.
Antarctica-- known as the ice continent that has become a study habitat for more than a thousand researchers every year for conducting studies about climate change-- is yet to reveal it's darkest secrets. With its wide and infertile landscape, it has helped many researchers, scientists, and climate experts in their different studies about the Earth's climate through the years. The continent is accessible to anyone who is up to do climate research without feeling political pressure or intrusion.
The Advexon's documentary
According to many scientists and researchers who have been going to the icy continent in the past years, especially those who study the ecosystem under the ice, they usually go underneath it. In fact, in one of Advexon's documentaries titled "Under the Ice," the researchers and experts showed how their study looks like, from doing the paper works and notes to going down below the ice.
In 2014, one of the divers in the documentary shared that there is a point of time in the year where they can see almost a quarter-mile ahead below the ice. He further then explained that there are strange things in the cold water called brine channels. Brine channels go up on the surface where the salt that is concentrated in the frozen sea ice makes the brine extra salty that it becomes liquid even if the surface ice is there to cool it.
The diver also revealed that the cold brine usually flows downwards and it freezes the seawater that is less salty, making little brine tubes. He also shared that divers like him love to dive into the cold water because that is where the action is happening, considering that there are more wonders underwater compared to the ice structures above.
In the documentary, the divers showed some sea stars that have just finished munching on an urchin and attacking other sea stars.
Antarctica's gigantic sea creatures
While the divers were explaining about the sea stars, the camera was able to capture something that sparked controversy from the people who are watching.
The cameras revealed more sea creatures that appeared to be larger-- way larger-- than the divers that were resting on the seabed.
The documentary series added that there are bigger species that tend to appear underwater and stays on the seabed. Some of these creatures are way too big to be recognized and compare to species that are usually seen elsewhere.
The divers also showed a clip of a sea spider that looked way bigger to the type of sea spider that most people would see in real life or in television. One reason why these gigantic sea spiders can only be seen in Antarctic waters is because of the water's temperature is colder compared to the water the sea spider's cousins live in, which are warmer waters.
Also, the divers noted that the isolation from other species made them evolve faster and more different compared to other species that can be mostly seen and documented in warmer waters. Their metabolism is also known to be slower compared to others, and it helps them grow bigger and older.
