Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

This fish was just discovered at a record-breaking 26,000 feet under the sea

Meet the deepest fish ever spotted. What is it? Well, the team thinks that it might be a snailfish, but isn’t completely sure, Rebecca Morelle reports at the BBC.

Fish deep snailfish GIF

Life under miles and miles of water can be challenging. Anything beyond 200 meters is too dark for any photosynthesis. (This fish lives in pitch black.) And the pressures get extreme.

An international research team discovered the fish during an unmanned-vehicle exploration of the Mariana Trench, the deepest spot in the seas. The trench is 6.8 miles deep, and only two manned missions have ever gone all the way to the bottom: one in 1960 and one with film director James Cameron in 2012. In comparison, this fish was about 5 miles deep.

The previous fish depth record-holder was a group of pink snailfish found in the Japan Trench.

Further reading

New record for deepest fish, from Rebecca Morelle at the BBC

A new way to keep deep-sea creatures alive at the surface

See More:

More in Science

Future Perfect
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future Perfect

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol
Podcasts
The importance of space toilets, explainedThe importance of space toilets, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Houston, we have a plumbing problem.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Climate
How climate science is sneakily getting funded under TrumpHow climate science is sneakily getting funded under Trump
Climate

Scientists are keeping their climate work alive by any other name.

By Kate Yoder, Ayurella Horn-Muller and 1 more
Good Medicine
You can’t really “train” your brain. Here’s what you can do instead.You can’t really “train” your brain. Here’s what you can do instead.
Good Medicine

The best ways to protect your cognitive health might surprise you.

By Dylan Scott
Future Perfect
Humanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious missionHumanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious mission
Future Perfect

Space barons like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk don’t seem religious. But their quest to colonize outer space is.

By Sigal Samuel
Health
Why the new GLP-1 pill is such a big dealWhy the new GLP-1 pill is such a big deal
Health

The FDA just approved Foundayo. Here’s what it can and can’t do.

By Dylan Scott