Scientists have just made an amazing discovery in the Pacific Ocean. They found more than 5,000 new species living on the ocean floor in a place called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ).
This special area, between Hawaii and Mexico, is filled with minerals like cobalt and nickel. Some companies want to mine these minerals, but before they do, scientists wanted to learn about the creatures living there.
Guess what? Most of the animals they found were totally new to science! It’s like meeting aliens from the deep sea. And get this: almost all of them are unique to the CCZ. Only six of the species have been seen in other places.
One of the cool new discoveries is a sponge called Bolosominae stet. It’s so unique that scientists think it’s never been seen before!
Seventeen companies got permission to explore mining in the CCZ, but the scientists want to make sure these creatures are protected. They created a special “CCZ checklist” with all the species they found, and it’s the first one ever made.
