The world's deepest-dwelling fish five miles under the ocean's surface

British scientists have filmed a species of fish said to be the deepest-dwelling ocean animal ever captured on camera.

A team from Aberdeen University collaborated with their Tokyo counterparts to film the ghostly white Hadal snail fish off Japan’s east coast at a depth of 7,700m.

The fish live in total darkness at a depth where the pressure is equivalent to 1,600 elephants standing on the roof of a Mini.
The scientists created superstrong submersible camera platforms - costing £100,000 each - inspired by lunar landers.

Professor Monty Priede, director of Aberdeen University’s Oceanlab project, said: ‘The images show groups that are sociable and active - possibly even families.

‘All we’ve seen before of life at this depth have been shrivelled specimens in museums. Now we have an impression of how they move and what they do.’

The hadal snailfish seen by the researchers are found below 3.7 miles, where they exist in total darkness, near- freezing temperatures and immense water pressure.

They feed on the thousands of tiny shrimp-like creatures that scavenge the carcasses of dead fish and detritus reaching the ocean floor.

The two-week research expedition, which ended on Monday, was part of an Oceanlab investigation looking at ocean life at the bottom of the sea.

The Fiji Islands

The Republic of the Fiji Islands, or Fiji, is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country occupies an archipelago with two sizable islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, where the majority of inhabitants live, and is joined by over eight hundred islands, with about one hundred regularly inhabited. The name Fiji is the old Tongan word for the islands, which is turn derived from the Fijian name Viti.


Fiji consists of 322 islands, of which about one third are inhabited. The two most important islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. Viti Levu hosts the capital city of Suva, and is home to nearly three quarters of the population. The islands are mountainous, with peaks up to 1200 m, and covered with tropical forests. Other important towns include Nadi, (location of the international airport) as well as Labasa, Lautoka, and Savusavu. Other islands and island groups include Taveuni and Kadavu (the third and fourth largest islands respectively, the Mamanuca Group (just outside Nadi) and Yasawa Group, which are popular tourist destinations, the Lomaiviti Group, outside of Suva, and the remote Lau Group.

World's Only Indoor Beach...Japan's Ocean Dome

The Ocean Dome - in Miyazaki, Japan - is known as the world's largest indoor water park measuring 300 metres in length, 100 metres in width and having a retractable roof. The air temperature is always kept around 30 degrees celsius. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest indoor water park.

Ocean Dome has its own flame-spitting volcano, crushed white marble "sand", and it also boasts the world's largest retractable roof, providing a permanently blue sky. Temperature, wind and humidity are closely controlled to provide an ultra-safe "sea-side" experience.

Every hour, the volcano erupts and the hi-tech wave machines start up, starting a few minutes of sanitized surfing.

Entrance cost is about US $89 per adult and US $66 for children. The price is reduced for patrons of the Sheraton Seagaia Resort Hotel.