Atlantic Doldrums Reveal First Hydrothermal Vents, Stoking Awe for Deep-Sea Life
Researchers using the ROV SuBastian uncovered two hydrothermal vent fields in the Doldrums Megatransform and Fracture Zone off Brazil, including a 24‑acre area with 23 vents and 13 active black smokers at about 280°C. The vents host life from anemones to Rimicaris shrimp, powered by chemical energy from vent fluids. The discovery, aided by serpentinisation, shows the Atlantic’s deep ecosystems are more diverse than thought and could offer clues about life on other worlds.