Dragon Hole: Deep-Sea Sinkhole Unveils 1,730 Unknown Viruses

A near-1,000-foot-deep underwater sinkhole in the South China Sea, called Dragon Hole, hosts oxygen-free layers and distinct microbial ecosystems. Researchers grew 294 bacterial strains (over 22% new) and identified about 1,730 viral types—mostly phages—with many undiscovered viruses in the deeper anoxic zones, suggesting a sealed, extreme-environment microbial world.