Scientists Discovered a "Jacuzzi of Despair" in the Gulf of Mexico

Scientists have discovered a "jacuzzi of despair" in the Gulf of Mexico that very little life can survive in. Associate professor of biology Erik Cordes of Temple University discovered the pool 3,300 feet below the surface and published his findings in the journal Oceanography. The "lake," which is 100 feet in circumference and 12 feet deep, contains very little oxygen and five times more salt than the water surrounding it. The brine pool also contains toxic levels of methane and hydrogen sulfide.

In the video, the scientists discover that many crabs have wandered into the pool (likely for a snack) and died in the warm waters, being pickled and preserved in the process. Interestingly, Cordes found some mussels, shrimp, and tube worms were able to survive in these harsh conditions.

In an interview with Seeker, Cordes explained the significance of extreme environments like this pool. "There's a lot of people looking at these extreme habitats on Earth as models for what we might discover when we go to other planets . . . The technology development in the deep sea is definitely going to be applied to the worlds beyond our own."