Filmmaker Cameron expedition finds unusual sea life

The discovery of microbial mats — bizarre-looking, filamentlike clumps of microorganisms — living off chemicals from altered rocks 35,803 feet (10,912 meters) beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean comes from samples and video collected by an unmanned lander, part of movie director James Cameron's mission to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

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Researchers estimate that more than 14,000 tubeworms live in this 'bush' discovered at an extremely rare hybrid hydrothermal vent — methane seep site in the deep sea.
Researchers estimate that more than 14,000 tubeworms live in this 'bush' discovered at an extremely rare hybrid hydrothermal vent — methane seep site in the deep sea.