Dozens of deep-sea creatures discovered after iceberg broke off Antarctica
The cold never bothered them anyway


Beneath a giant iceberg, a whole ecosystem never seen before. Iceberg A-84 broke off from Antarctica and revealed a thriving community of sea creatures underneath. Now, researchers are curious as to how these species have survived. Fracturing icebergs are only going to become more common as climate change worsens, metaphorically thawing a whole field of research in the process.
Breaking the ice
An iceberg the size of Chicago broke away from the George VI Ice Shelf on January 13, 2025. This allowed researchers aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's R/V Falkor (too) to investigate what lived on the seafloor under the broken piece. "We seized upon the moment, changed our expedition plan and went for it so we could look at what was happening in the depths below," Dr. Patricia Esquete, the expedition cochief scientist, said in a statement.
The experts identified more than 70 new species, "including squat lobsters and marine snails that were completely new to science," said The Washington Post. "There was a sense of going into a complete unknown," Sasha Montelli of University College London, also a cochief scientist, said to Scientific American. "We thought we might see some life there, but it was really surprising to see the degree to which life was thriving in such a hostile environment. And it wasn't just existing there but had apparently been sustained for a very long time." Based on the size of the communities of species, the researchers estimate that the ecosystem may have been around for decades or even hundreds of years. Lab research is still required to determine whether any of the species are new.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
4,265 feet under the sea
To discover the marine ecosystem, the researchers used a remotely operated vehicle, ROV SuBastian, to explore 4,265 feet below the surface of the ocean. "Normally, deep-sea ecosystems get their nutrients from the sea surface, which sprinkle down toward the seafloor," said National Geographic. "But this area was covered by a 500-foot-thick icy roof for an interminable amount of time, meaning that these critters must be getting their nutrients another way." The question remains as to how a thriving underwater ecosystem can exist in such conditions.
One of the theories is that "these lifeforms may derive their energy from ocean currents, which sweep nutrients beneath the ice sheet to sustain the ecosystem," said IFL Science. This is still an active area of scientific research. What is even more uncertain is "how this vibrant ecosystem will fare now that the iceberg has broken away," said Scientific American. "Many deep-sea dwellers are adapted to unchanging conditions found in their environment, so they are highly sensitive to even small environmental shifts."
Warming temperatures due to climate change is causing the Antarctic ice sheet to melt, making it a "major contributor to sea level rise worldwide," Montelli said in the statement. "Our work is critical for providing longer-term context of these recent changes, improving our ability to make projections of future change — projections that can inform actionable policies."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 29, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - my way or Norway, running orders, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 tactically sound cartoons about the leaked Signal chat
Cartoons Artists take on the clown signal, baby steps, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Roast lamb shoulder with ginger and fresh turmeric recipe
The Week Recommends Succulent and tender and falls off the bone with ease
By The Week UK Published
-
Earth's climate is in the era of 'global weirding'
The Explainer Weather is harder to predict and more extreme
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Hot to go: extreme heat can make people age faster
Under the radar New research shows warming temperatures can affect biological age
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Parts of California are sinking and affecting sea level
Under the radar Climate change is bringing the land to the sea
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Jet fuel risk: what effect will North Sea tanker crash have on environment?
Today's Big Question Collision area has massive populations of seabirds, such as puffins and gannets, while porpoises and seals breed nearby
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
A new dam in the Panama Canal could solve water-level problems but create housing ones
Under the radar Droughts are becoming more common
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
World's largest iceberg is on a collision path with remote islands
Under the radar Penguins and seals may be at risk
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Animals that are adapting to climate change
The Explainer Some species have already altered their habits
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Does Nepal have too many tigers?
Under the Radar Wild tiger numbers have tripled in a decade but conservation success comes with rise in human fatalities
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published