Yeah, and it’s as crazy as it sounds…
3,300 feet below the surface lies what scientists have aptly named “The Jacuzzi of Despair”. In the Gulf of Mexico, roughly a day’s boat trip from New Orleans, scientists recently found a “lake” at the bottom of the ocean (imagine if you will, Goo Lagoon from Spongebob). This lake underneath the ocean is about 5x times saltier than the rest of the ocean water so it settles to the bottom of the ocean into this lake. As if an underwater lake isn’t strange enough, this lake contains high concentrations of toxins, making it deadly to both animals and humans.
This undersea “dead pool” is littering with remains and carcasses of animals that unknowingly wandered into its warmer waters. The water in this lake is about 67-degrees, almost double the temperature of the 36-degree water surrounding it. The extreme salinity of the water traps in high concentrations of methane and hydrogen sulfide, not only making it not mix the rest of the seawater but also what makes it so deadly to animals.
Many scientists are thrilled about this discovery seeing as this harsh, deadly environment in the lake can be used for researching life within environments that are traditionally uninhabitable, ie. Mars. Certain shrimps and smaller organisms are living within this lake, so studying these creatures could give way to discoveries regarding creating sustainable human life on Mars. (What is vital to survive, what adaptations must be made, etc.)
Check out the full exploration video below!
