Date: 1/12/2004
1800m below the surface on the sea floor of a volcano in the Bay of Plenty scientists from New Zealand and Japan may have discovered new life forms. The scientists made the discovery while diving into the Brothers volcano in the worldâs deepest-diving submersible, the Shinkai 6500. The vessel weighs 26 tonne and can take a crew of three to the bottom of the ocean for 8 hrs. They discovered numerous barnacles, limpets, crabs, tube worms, shrimps and black smoker chimneys. New Zealand project leader Cornel de Ronde, of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, said âThese creatures live close to hot, acidic pumping vents and may be new to science.â The volcano is 400km northeast of White Island and about three times itâs size. It is one of the most active of New Zealandâs many sub marine volcanoes. Crater measures 3km by 3.5km with jagged walls that rose about 450m.