March 2025

March

SYNTHIFY

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ECHOES FROM THE ABYSS: FORGOTTEN WORLDS BENEATH THE WAVES - YENA YOON

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DEEP SEA MINING: EFFECTS ON MARINE LIFE AND EARTH AND BROADER SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE - RYAN AHN

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THE IMPACT OF DEEP-SEA FISHING AND POLLUTION

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ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF ANGLERFISH IN DEEP-SEA ECOSYSTEMS

- MINSUNG CHOI

- MINCHAE KIM

ALIEN WORLDS ON EARTH: DEEP SEA CREATURES THAT DEFY BIOLOGY

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- JOSEPH LIM

EXPLORING THE TOXINS IN DEEP-SEA LIFE - JOOWON LEE

HYDROTHERMAL VENTS: HIDDEN WORLDS IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN - JAEHWAN KIM

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ECHOES FROM THE ABYSS YENA YOON

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eneath the surface of the sea, where light fades and pressure rises, lie the remains of cities and ships long lost. Far from human eyes, ancient walls rest buried in sand, and wooden beams from sunken vessels rot slowly in the cold, oxygen-starved dark. These forgotten places, scattered across the ocean floor, are not just relics of the past. They offer insights into human civilization, past climate shifts, and the ecological evolution of marine environments.

Thanks to advances in underwater exploration, scientists and archaeologists are now able to locate and study these submerged worlds. From ancient cities swallowed by earthquakes to warships sunk in battle, each discovery tells a story of how human history and the natural world collide.

HOW DO CITIES AND SHIPS END UP BENEATH THE SEA? The process of submersion varies—some cities vanish in an instant, while others disappear over centuries. One of the most dramatic causes is tectonic activity. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and shifts in the Earth’s crust can cause entire landmasses to sink. The city of Port Royal in Jamaica, once a thriving hub of trade and piracy, sank during a powerful earthquake in 1692. Within minutes, entire buildings slid into the harbor, preserved in the sediment below.

Other submerged landscapes disappeared more slowly. After the last Ice Age, melting glaciers caused sea levels to rise globally. Over thousands of years, low-lying regions like Doggerland—a land bridge that once connected Britain to continental Europe—were swallowed by the rising North Sea. Today, archaeological evidence such as stone tools and animal bones are discovered by trawlers and divers, offering glimpses into prehistoric life.

Shipwrecks, meanwhile, often result from navigational errors, war, or natural disasters. These wrecks preserve cargo, technology, and even human remains, giving researchers a direct look into the past

TECHNOLOGY THAT UNVEILS THE DEEP Studying the deep sea requires advanced technology due to extreme pressure, cold temperatures, and the absence of light. The most common tools include: Multibeam sonar: Sends out sound waves in a fan shape to create 3D maps of the ocean floor, useful for identifying geological features and large structures.

Side-scan sonar: Sends sound waves sideways to detect shapes and textures on the seabed, ideal for spotting shipwrecks and ruins.

LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging): Uses laser pulses from aircraft to scan shallow waters and detect underwater structures near the coast.

Magnetometers: Detect changes in the magnetic field caused by large metal objects like ship hulls or cannons.

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Once an object is located, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are deployed. These robotic devices can dive to great depths and are equipped with high-resolution cameras, manipulators, and sampling tools. For instance, the famous Titanic wreck was explored using submersibles like Alvin and later filmed using ROVs, revealing the decaying structure more than 3,800 meters below the surface.

WHAT WE’VE FOUND: CITIES AND WRECKS Some underwater discoveries have revolutionized our understanding of ancient civilizations. The Egyptian city of Thonis-Heracleion, submerged for over 1,000 years in the Mediterranean, was rediscovered in the early 2000s using sonar and magnetometry. Archaeologists recovered massive statues, temple ruins, and hundreds of coins and ceramics, showing it was once a major port before it sank due to a combination of rising waters and soil liquefaction.

Among the most astonishing discoveries is Pavlopetri in Greece, the world’s oldest known submerged city, dating back to 2800 BCE. Its preserved streets, buildings, and tombs suggest advanced urban planning in the Bronze Age. The Antikythera Shipwreck, discovered in 1900, contained the world’s first analog computer—the Antikythera Mechanism—used to predict astronomical positions. Its removal from the sea allowed scientists to study its inner gears using modern CT scans and 3D modeling.

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ECOLOGY AND ETHICS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA Shipwrecks and submerged cities also play ecological roles. Metal and wood structures attract marine life and act as artificial reefs, boosting local biodiversity. The USS Oriskany, a decommissioned aircraft carrier, was intentionally sunk off the coast of Florida to create a marine habitat. Today, it's home to coral, fish, and other sea creatures.

But as interest in underwater archaeology grows, so do ethical concerns. Should we remove artifacts for study and display or leave them in place as historical graves and ecosystems? Archaeologists seek to learn from these sites, conservationists often advocate for minimal disturbance to marine life, and local communities may view certain wrecks as cultural heritage or sacred spaces. Removing items like the Antikythera Mechanism has helped science tremendously, but disturbing other wrecks- such as war graves–raises moral questions.

PRESERVE OR EXPLORE? As technology brings us deeper into the abyss, we must ask: Do we protect these silent places, or do we uncover their secrets? The debate between preservation and exploration is ongoing, and it’s one that every underwater archaeologist must face.

CONCLUSION Submerged cities and shipwrecks teach us about natural disasters, ancient engineering, and changing coastlines. Tools like sonar, ROVs, and LIDAR allow us to explore these hidden landscapes without setting foot on the ocean floor. As we discover more—from Doggerland’s prehistoric plains to Thonis-Heracleion’s sunken temples—we gain not just knowledge of the past but insight into our future.

The ocean’s abyss may seem silent, but for those who listen closely, it echoes with history.

March 20, 2025 / Yena Yoon / yena.yoon27@stu.siskorea.org 08

DEEP SEA MINING EFFECTS ON MARINE LIFE, EARTH, AND BROADER SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE RYAN AHN

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n May of 2022, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) - a widely recognized autonomous, international organization under the United Nations - issued 31 contracts for the exploration of deep sea mineral deposits. These deposits would be explored within 1.3 million square kilometers worth of seabed - an area roughly equivalent to Peru - which would serve as a potential site for future deep sea mining. But what exactly does deep sea mining entail?

Deep sea mining, the process of extracting remunerative minerals and metals from the ocean floor, was first introduced in 1994 under ISA with their successful authorization of mining contracts in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. With the growing demand for a variety of metals and minerals from countless developing countries around the globe, the industry has gained a significant reputation as a potential source of further modernization and a source to combat resource scarcity. As deep sea mining is imminent to become a reality, with 2025 - according to The Guardian - being predicted as the “big year” for the implementation of such a practice, it has aroused both concerns and excitement. This article will explore how deep sea mining works, the risk it poses to marine ecosystems and the planet, and its broader scientific significance.

The process of deep sea mining can be understood through its three main stages: prospecting, exploration, and exploitation.

The first and initial stage, or prospecting, involves the search for mineral deposits. Within deep sea mining, the deposits are categorized into three types: polymetallic nodules, polymetallic sulfide deposits, and cobalt-rich crusts. Also known as manganese nodules, polymetallic nodules are prevalent in all oceans and are formed over several million years. Containing a wide range of metals - including metals like iron, nickel, and copper - the nodules can be crucial for industries as they can be used for the manufacturing of items such as batteries. On the other hand, polymetallic sulfide deposits are rich in metals such as gold, silver, and zinc. The deposits are a result of hydrothermal vents, a site where heated water stemming from the Earth’s crust results in the dispersion of the minerals. The third category, or cobalt-rich crusts, are found in underwater ridges and seamounts.

Similar to polymetallic nodules, the crusts form in millions of years while containing an abundant amount of cobalt - as indicated by its name.

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Once the sites are identified, deep sea mining advances to the exploration stage which is characterized by a further detailed survey of the mined minerals and their environment.

Technologies such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) play a crucial role in allowing for deeper analysis of the quality of minerals and its economic potential. Recently, China has shown advancements with AUVs through their successful testing of Pioneer II where it reached 4000 feet below sea level and performed its job. Furthermore, exploration is the crucial stage in which individuals delve into the potential ecological consequences the extraction process can have on marine ecosystems.

Following the exploration comes the last and the most controversial stage of exploitation, which involves direct extraction of the minerals. Several methods can be employed to successfully extract most notably dredging and subsea drilling. Dredging is used commonly for the extraction of polymetallic nodules where underwater mining vehicles with suction systems are utilized. Through the system, nodules are collected and immediately transported to the surface. Similarly, subsea drilling is also used prevalently for the extraction of polymetallic nodules, but those that reside near hydrothermal vents. Specifically, the usage of remotely operated drilling equipment to break the formed minerals in seabeds enables a more efficient and greater extraction outcome compared to dredging, which only targets loose nodules.

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Despite the promising economic potential it holds - with estimates of market growth of $15 billion in the next few years - deep sea mining is being debated for the potential detrimental influences it can possess. Research from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) suggests that deep sea mining possesses a tendency to greatly impact 14.6 million square miles of marine ecosystems. Indeed, deep sea mining can greatly impact the marine ecosystems in a variety of ways.

Deep sea mining poses risks to the lives of countless marine organisms through habitat disturbance, where mining practices such as dredging and subsea drilling can directly annihilate the organisms’ habitat. Furthermore, the mortality rates of these organisms can rise due to their risk of direct contact with heavy metal mining equipment. On a much broader scale, deep sea mining can directly disrupt the oceanic carbon cycle through altered marine biodiversity - a pioneer of storage of carbon within the sea. Specifically, due to the release of sediment plumes along with the direct disruption of sea habitats, it can increase the likelihood of release of carbon to the atmosphere, which can lead to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and subsequent exacerbation of global warming and climate change.

Regardless of the controversies, deep sea mining possesses undeniable scientific significance in a variety of ways. It enables the discovery of inaccessible mineral resources that are situated in extremely deep sea levels below the surface through the usage of advanced technology. The success of deep sea mining drives further technological advancements, resulting in developments of new tools, methods, and systems that can have greater applicability outside of deep sea mining itself including ROVs and AUVs and other potential vehicles. Furthermore, exploration of deep sea mineral deposits through mining practices can potentially provide opportunities for scientists to discover new insights into marine biology and unique organisms that can persist in extreme environments - such as microorganisms where its enzymes were directly applied to biotechnology for drug development along with biofuel production.

To sum, the ecological and scientific impacts of deep sea mining are profound and multifaceted prompting economic, technological, and scientific advancements for countless nations while resulting in adverse environmental and ecological effects for the planet and to marine ecosystems. Moving forward, deep sea mining should proceed with firm regulations, specific research, and technological innovations that focuses on minimizing ecological and environmental impacts. The balanced approach will be crucial not only in revolutionizing the industry but also the universe.

March 30, 2025 / Ryan Jaemin Ahn / 27.ryan.ahn@yisseoul.org 12

THE IMPACT OF DEEP-SEA FISHING AND POLLUTION

MINSUNG CHOI

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INTRODUCTION

he oceans, covering more than 70% of the Earth's surface, have always been a source of fascination and sustenance for humanity. The oceans serve a vital function in sustaining universal life since they both generate food supplies and control climatic conditions. Human activities have spread to such an extent that they present a growing danger to ocean health. Deep-sea fishing, combined with ocean pollution, represents the two most serious marine environmental concerns today. Deepsea fishing operations and ocean pollution create destructive impacts on marine ecosystems, which extend into major threats to biodiversity, human life systems, and climate stability. The following discussion examines deep-sea fishing impacts together with pollution effects and introduces solution-oriented actions to manage these issues.

THE NECESSITY OF ADDRESSING DEEP-SEA FISHING AND POLLUTION The process of capturing deep-sea fish that reside beneath 200 meters of ocean depth is known as deep-sea fishing. Over the past decade, deep-sea fishing has been the choice of mass fishing due to its profitability. The practice has also gained popularity because overfishing has reduced fish populations in shallower waters. Deep-sea fishing endangers the balance of marine ecosystems to a severe degree. Deep-sea species face high vulnerability to overfishing because they reproduce late and have minimal reproductive rates. The recovery time from overfishing these species extends to multiple decades, and complete recovery might never happen.

The pollution found in ocean waters includes various contaminants, ranging from plastic waste to chemical runoff from oil spills and ending with heavy metals. The contaminants from ocean pollution damage marine organisms that subsequently move through food chains to endanger human well-being. Microplastics, which are small plastic fragments, have been detected inside fish stomachs and seabirds as well as human seafood products and marine birds. Ocean pollution causes ecosystem damage through the accumulation of pollutants that result in species' deaths and deteriorate important coral reef ecosystems.

Deep-sea fishing and pollution generate an ongoing destructive pattern because declining fish stocks force operations to explore deeper ocean areas, which damages sensitive ecosystems further.

Through marine pollution, the health of ocean environments declines, thus making fish populations struggle to recover after population declines.

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THE IMPACT OF DEEP-SEA FISHING Deep-sea fishing operations deliver major adverse effects on marine ecosystems across all depths of the ocean. The main environmental consequence arises from the destruction of deep-sea habitats, including coral reefs and seamounts, because fishing operations utilize bottom trawls to damage these structures. The ecological habitats hold numerous unique species and rare species that exist only in these deep-sea areas. The elimination of habitats puts extinction at risk for all species that need those particular environments.

The practice of deep-sea fishing causes unintended harm to species that do not match its fishing targets, which is known as bycatch. Sharks, along with turtles and dolphins, constitute most of the species that face threats of extinction or are already listed as endangered. The decline of ecologically important species occurs because of bycatch, while the destruction of the marine ecosystem balance persists as a result.

Research conducted by Watson and Morato (2013) revealed that deep-sea fishing caused substantial population decreases of deep-sea fish species, where particular species lost 90% of their numbers over only three decades. This research showed that wildlife species take extensive time to recover from fishing-related damage, which requires fishing industry operators to use sustainable practices.

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THE IMPACT OF OCEAN POLLUTION Ocean pollution is equally devastating. The yearly plastic pollution rate in oceans amounts to 8 million tons, representing one of the most visible ocean pollution. Marine life consumes microplastics from decomposed plastic waste, ending in physical damage and eventual death to the animals. It is most likely that the ocean will contain more plastic than fish by the year 2050 under the current pollution patterns, according to Watson and Morato's studies (2013).

The marine ecosystem faces considerable threats from chemical pollutants, which include oil spills and agricultural runoff. When animals in the marine environment become covered by oil during spills, they lose their movement and breathing capabilities and their temperature regulation functions. Agricultural runoff, which often contains pesticides and fertilizers, can lead to eutrophication, a process in which excess nutrients cause large algal blooms that deplete oxygen in the water, creating "dead zones" where marine life cannot survive

SOLUTIONS AND THE WAY FORWARD The solution to deep-sea fishing, along with pollution, demands the implementation of multiple approaches. We need to establish sustainable fishing practices that protect deep-sea ecosystems as the first step. Marine protected areas serve as zones for fishing restrictions and bans to help fish populations regenerate. Public bodies and intergovernmental agencies should implement stronger deep-sea fishing rules that limit harmful fishing equipment and reduce waste catch incidents.

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The fight against ocean pollution requires both cutting down single-use plastic consumption and enhancing waste disposal practices. Public authorities need to adopt policies that support recycling practices alongside the deployment of biodegradable materials. To help protect oceans, each person should decrease their plastic usage while backing initiatives that participate in ocean cleanups.

Technological innovations also offer hope. The Ocean Cleanup, founded by Boyan Slat, uses advanced technologies to extract plastics from the oceans during cleanup operations. The cleanup process of chemical pollutants through microorganism applications, known as bioremediation, demonstrates effective potential in resolving oil spills and chemical waste issues.

CONCLUSION Deep-sea fishing, together with pollution in our oceans, produces clear and unmistakable effects.

Deep-sea fishing with pollution endangers marine biodiversity at the same time as causing widespread ecosystem disruption that impacts human wellness and financial stability. Sustainable practices, together with strict regulations and technological investments, will help reduce these harmful environmental effects so our oceans remain healthy for future generations. Our immediate action should concentrate on the preservation of our oceans because we find ourselves at an essential threshold.

March 20, 2025 / Minsung Choi / choiminsung365@gmail.com 17

ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF ANGLERFISH IN DEEP-SEA ECOSYSTEMS MINCHAE KIM

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he deep-sea refers to the depth beyond 200 meters underwater where light begins to diminish, consisting of many unique organisms such as the Abyssal Comb Jelly, Barreleye Fish, California Sun Star, and the Deep-Sea Anglerfish. In the deep sea, the animals tend to portray either transparent, black, or even red phenotypes due to the absence of red light at these depths, allowing them to go unnoticed by prey and predators around them.

The deep-sea anglerfish is classified as a teleost fish (a large group of fish comprised of ray-finned fish). It is best known for the rigid appearance of its large mouths filled with long, pointy teeth and large stomachs. A key feature of the anglerfish is its luminescent light, which assists the fish in their survival in the deep sea.

Anglerfish tend to have difficulties encountering suitable prey and thus have features of large mouths and stomachs to help capture and swallow anything they come across in the deep sea.

Additionally, the luminescent light is a lure, used to attract prey and to help them mate. The lure is made of bacteria called photobacteria, which produce light via chemical reactions. However, only female anglerfish have lighted lures as they tend to be larger and more predatory. Male anglerfish have smaller lures and tend to be parasitic (living as a parasite) in the long run. Furthermore, anglerfishes are not active predators, as the rod of bioluminescent bacteria helps attract prey towards the anglerfish’s waiting mouth.

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Moreover, anglerfish are a part of the benthic (lowest level of a body of water) food chain, functioning primarily as predators. Anglerfishes tend to feed on sea snails, smaller fish, and crustaceans, eg, crabs, shrimp, and lobsters. However, anglerfishes don’t just feed on organisms smaller than them, but they also try to eat larger fishes and squid using their strong jaws and would also try to eat other animals up to twice their size. Besides living organisms, they also feed on dead matter sunken to the floor, including seabirds and turtles.

Anglerfish are mostly found in the Atlantic and Antarctic Oceans, though some also live in shallow, tropical environments. They live in the ‘Midnight Zone’, located below 1000 meters in the deep sea, where no light from the surface passes through. Their preferred temperatures are usually between 6.5 and 11 °C, as they have evolved antifreeze proteins that help prevent their bodies from freezing in low temperatures.

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Living far in the two vast deep seas of our Earth, you may assume that these fish can live in peace, although that is not always the case.

For example, an obvious factor affecting the Earth’s organisms includes the threat of global warming, where their habitat does not fluctuate in temperature that often and thus would be more detrimental where even a small shift in temperature may affect these creatures. Another includes human effects on these creatures and the deep-sea ecosystems. Any changes to the ecosystem can threaten these species, though negative effects on their populations via humans are naturally rare.

Though rare, rare does not mean it does not exist, as the anglerfish is used as a winter delicacy due to its high nutrients and collagen. However, as this is not too common, currently anglerfish populations are not significantly threatened by fishing, but continued demand could pose risks in the future.

March 20, 2025 / Minchae Kim / carlynminchae@gmail.com 21

JOSEPH LIM

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INTRODUCTION

magine an environment with no sunlight, crushing pressure, and near-freezing temperatures— and yet life thrives. But how? How do creatures survive, how do ecosystems function, and how do populations of organisms thrive in such an extreme, alien environment?

The deep ocean, with its pitch black environment and near-freezing temperatures, bears a striking resemblance to space, but they share one crucial similarity: both are yet to be explored deeply. 80 percent of the ocean remains unexplored, and the creatures we have found until now are just the edge of a never-ending iceberg. As creatures flourish amid its depth, darkness, pressure, cold, and lack of nutrients, the deep sea serves as a natural laboratory for evolution and survival. This article aims to explore the diverse array of deep sea organisms that thrive despite the harsh environmental conditions.

VAMPIRE SQUID Despite its name sounding like an apex predator that feasts on blood, vampire squid aren't a predator—they feed on marine snow, which is a continuous fall of organic material such as dead organisms, fecal matter, and other debris, that falls from the upper layers of the ocean to the deep sea. Upon facing predators, the vampire squid can turn inside-out to reveal a spiny, red underside.

Due to their lack of ink-sacs and slow metabolism, the vampire squids must develop alternate methods of survival. Vampire squid have eight arms like octopuses, but lack feeding tentacles, and so they use two retractile filaments to capture food, which have small sensory hairs on them. Their glowing presence can be attributed to a special mucus they produce due to the lack of ink.

▴ A young Vampire squid swimming among white particles in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

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PELICAN EEL Is it a bird? Is it a pelican? Equipped with a large, scoop-like jaw, the pelican eel, with its peculiar appearance, has been dubbed the “deep sea pelican”. They are also commonly known as the gulper eel, which describes their ability to expand their throat and stomach to inhale food—and the large amounts of water that it slowly expels through its gills. Despite the horrifying appearance and size of its mouth, the pelican eel isn’t an athletic hunter. It has miniscule eyes and thus can't rely on sight dto locate prey. Instead, the pelican eel uses a pink/red light on its rear fins to lure its next meal.

Furthermore, its whip-like tail and lack of pelvic fins prevent the eel from swimming fast and far.

▴ Adult pelican eel swimming through the ocean

BARRELEYE FISH Known for their strange eyes—two bright green, upward-facing orbs that are visible through the transparent dome on its forehead—Barreleyes inhabit the ocean’s twilight to midnight zones, usually between 2,000 to 2,600 feet (600 and 800 meters).

▴ Barreleye swimming through deep sea, photo taken by Monterey Bay Aquarium

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WHY THESE CREATURES MATTER Being one of the most hostile environments on Earth, the deep sea fosters thriving populations with extraordinary adaptations. These evolutionary marvels serve as real-world blueprints for scientific and technological innovation. For example, many deep-sea species can survive with limited food and energy intake by slowing their metabolic processes. This phenomenon aids in human research regarding aging, hibernation biology, and even suspended animation for long-term space travel. Furthermore, important scientific discoveries in recent years have stemmed from deepsea biochemistry. For example, deep-sea sponges and bacteria are being researched in hopes of discovering novel antibiotics, anti-inflammatory agents, and anti-cancer compounds.

FROM THE ABYSS TO INNOVATION Deep sea creatures are more than just wonders and curiosities, they serve as scientific allies and biological innovators. As much as the ocean is unexplored, it holds immense promises or advancement and innovation. As we venture deeper into oceans, we are unlocking new understandings of life, survival, and potential. Their existence matters not just to their respective ecosystems and niches but to us all.

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April 1, 2025 / Joseph Lim / jojo08siwa1216@gmail.com

EXPLORING THE TOXINS IN DEEP-SEA LIFE HOW HUMANS CAN UTILIZE THE WAY DEEP-SEA CREATURES PROTECT THEMSELVES

JOOWON LEE

“B

lob”

Does this sound remind you of a fish? If so, you may picture the infamous blobfish - often called the ugliest animal on Earth. However, that reputation is a bit unfair. Blobfish live deep beneath the ocean surface, where they live with a pressure more than 100 times greater than what we experience above. Their gelatinous bodies expand and deform when brought to the surface due to the sudden massive decrease in pressure. The sad-looking pictures of blobfish we often see were taken after this process. If you look up photos of blobfish in their natural, pressurized environment, you’ll find out that they look good enough.

So what exactly is the deep-sea environment that shapes such unique creatures? It can be summed up in three words: high pressure, darkness, and cold. In the depths, where the pressure might exceed 1,000 times atmospheric levels, sunlight cannot penetrate, leaving organisms to rely only on bioluminescence for light. The temperatures hover around 0-4 degrees Celsius. This harsh habitat pushes living creatures to evolve their unique biological mechanisms- and one of the most fascinating among them is the development of toxins.

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In the toxic, crushing, black depths of the ocean, sea creatures have adapted in truly extraordinary ways. In most cases, these adaptations involve forming symbiotic relationships with bacteria that survive and even thrive in the presence of toxic chemicals like hydrogen sulfide, methane, and heavy metals. These chemicals would be deadly to most surface life, yet deep-sea organisms use them not only to survive but to thrive, even sometimes converting toxins into energy or using them for attack and defense. Toxins have served two essential purposes among those creatures: to protect themselves from threats and to hunt and paralyze prey.

Here’s one example: the blue-ringed octopus, small but deadly, usually found in coastal waters of Australia and Southeast Asia. Despite its soft appearance, it produces tetrodotoxin (TTX), a neurotoxin that disables the sodium channels in nerve cells, causing paralysis and even respiratory failure of muscle. When a blue-ringed octopus is threatened, it delivers venom through a bite while flashing electric-blue rings, which is the most effective defense strategy in nature. Similarly, sponges and algae, stationary organisms, also use toxins to compete for space. They release toxic chemical compounds that inhibit the growth of organisms nearby, helping them maintain their territory on the ocean floor.

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Toxins are also used offensively in the deep sea.

The picture above now shows the cone snail, a slow-moving predator that uses a harpoon-like tooth when injecting conotoxins into its prey. These complex chemicals quickly block nerve signals to paralyze small fish or worms, ultimately allowing cone snails to consume them easily. The fangtooth fish, known for its massive teeth and fearsome appearance, is another deep-sea predator.

Although not thoroughly studied yet, it is believed to secrete neurotoxic chemicals that impair the nerve systems of its prey. In the total deep darkness, where only limited vision and sudden movement are everything, such toxins play a crucial role in stunning fast-moving or bioluminescent organisms before they can escape.

Beyond their role in survival, these marine toxins are attracting interest from researchers for their medical usage potential. Scientists are especially interested in applying these toxins to develop nonopioid pain relievers, anticancer medicines, and neurological disorders. For example, conotoxins are actively explored as alternatives to addictive opioid painkillers. Palytoxin, known for being one of the most toxic natural substances, has shown the ability to selectively target and destroy cancer cells.

In the field of neurology, conotoxins' ability to control nerve signals precisely makes them rising candidates for treating psychiatric illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

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Despite their potential, studying deep-sea toxins has enormous challenges. The extreme depths that range from 200 to over 11,000 meters below the ocean surface make this exploration so difficult and expensive. Even when samples are collected, what complicates laboratory research is that many marine compounds are unstable outside their natural environment. There are also ecological concerns, as collecting specimens for our good may damage fragile ecosystems that remain largely unexplored.

Nonetheless, despite these challenges, technological developments could make research more affordable, more precise, and less invasive. Such advancements in remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are expected to improve deep-sea exploration. As methods improve, the discovery and research of new bioactive substances that remain unknown are becoming more accessible to us.

To conclude, one of the planet's remaining great frontiers is the deep sea. It offers both scientific challenges and remarkable opportunities. In this harsh and mysterious world, life has adapted and evolved in ways that defy expectations. Among them, there are chemical toxins that enable survival and may eventually result in revolutionary medical discoveries. With responsible exploration and continued innovation, the poisons of the deep may become some of humanity’s most powerful cures.

March 30, 2025 / Joowon Lee / eeuudaemonia@gmail.com 30

HIDDEN WORLDS IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN JAEHWAN KIM

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INTRODUCTION

he Earth is breathing deep in the dark sea, out of the sun. The deep-sea hydrothermal vents are where the mineral-filled water column rises from the cracks of the sea floor, where the primitive and beautiful power of the Earth is shown. The vent, which was first discovered by scientists aboard the deep-sea submersible Alvin in 1977, has a very dynamic system unlike previously expected, shattering existing academic ideas about life and the Earth. In this article, we will travel deep to explore how these vents form, the special ecosystems they maintain, scientific values, and the mysteries that have yet to be discovered.

THE BIRTH OF HYDROTHERMAL VENTS Deeply think about the powerful Earth's heart, in the ocean and deep in the ground, beating endlessly. There is a convection of the Earth's mantle, which makes Earth's crust constantly move.

Below and around the seabed, the separated crustal plates rise and fill the gaps. When water seeps into the broken crust, it meets the magma and heats up to a temperature above 400℃, where the superheated water dissolves the minerals of the surrounding rocks. Therefore the water which is filled with metal and sulfur, solidifies quickly when it is emitted back into the ocean, forming a chimney that rises higher and higher with each eruption.

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The hydrothermal vents can be classified into two main types: 1. Black Smokers: As the name suggests, these vents emit dark, mineral-rich water similar to the rising smoke. To be precise, the "smoke" here is a dense cloud of metal sulfide, which often rises up to 20 meters high.

2. White Smokers: This vent has the same principle as the black one, but it has a bright color because it has a lower temperature than the black one and emits a liquid rich in silica and barium.

The characteristics of hydrothermal vents can be understood scientifically by understanding the concepts of convection and the geological composition of the mantle. From now on, let's take a look at the biological importance of hydrothermal vents based on the above.

A GATEWAY TO SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY One of the most interesting questions in modern science is about the origin of life as well. In this respect, the environment of the hydrothermal vent is drawing great attention, as it is possible that a vent with a mineral-rich and chemically charged environment took a significant place in the emergence of ancient life. An ancient vent environment filled with heat, seawater, and minerals would have provided the perfect conditions for the earliest forms of life to appear, so studying the vent is in some ways like tracing the origin of life back in time. Extreme microorganisms that live around the vent can also be seen as an object of great interest in modern science. This is because the organism adapted to the harsh conditions can provide a variety of biotechnology applications, from industrial processes to medical research, and the deep-sea environment can serve as a very good precedent because it can provide solutions to some of the environmental problems currently faced on land.

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In addition, it can be an important key to finding life beyond Earth to study extreme microorganisms. If there are any living things that stably survive under extreme heat and pressure at hydrothermal vents, life can survive in extraterrestrial environments beyond Earth. In reality, recent research in astrobiology suggests that hydrothermal activity might also exist on icy moons such as Europa(the moon of Jupiter), and Enceladus(the moon of Saturn), and they are expected to contain vast underground oceans as they receive the tidal power of mother planets to maintain geothermal activity similar to that of hydrothermal vents. Perhaps exploring extraterrestrial oceans could provide the best opportunity to discover more information about life throughout the entire universe.

CHALLENGES AND FUTURE EXPLORATION The deep sea is so dark that we can only see light by the occasional flickering of bioluminescence of passing creatures, and its pressure up to 1,000 times greater than the surface of the ocean can easily break just ordinary submarines. In other words, unfortunately, there is still no perfect method to explore hydrothermal vents in the deep sea, but scientists still keep trying to push the boundaries of exploration.

To briefly introduce modern deep-sea explorations, scientists are normally using submersibles such as remote-operated vehicles (ROVs). ROVs are artificial underwater robots that connects to an operator via a long-distance cable, thus they can easily go down to deepwater to capture images, collect various scientific samples, and conduct lots of experiments. Unless an endless fascination granted from exploring deep seas disappears, people will certainly continue to broaden their understanding of the knowledge of Earth's final mysteries.

CONCLUSION To summarize, the hydrothermal vents always remind us that Earth consists of various dynamic systems, and life can withstand the most extreme and seemingly inhospitable conditions. Yet some mysteries of the hydrothermal vents remain unsolved, people will finally discover more secrets about them. How about bringing our imagination together to challenge our understanding of the origin of the Earth, reveal the integral forces that shape our world, and seek life beyond our fundamental knowledge?

March 31, 2025 / Jaehwan Kim / official.jaehwan@gmail.com 34

WORKS CITED

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ALIEN WORLDS ON EARTH: DEEP SEA CREATURES THAT DEFY BIOLOGY - JOSEPH LIM “CREATURE FEATURE Pelican eel.” Ocean Twilight Zone, WHOI Wordmark, https://twilightzone.whoi.edu/explore-the-otz/creature-features/pelican-eel/. Accessed 1 April 2025.

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HYDROTHERMAL VENTS: HIDDEN WORLDS IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN - JAEHWAN KIM Pic 1: A view of a black smoker, a type of deep-sea hydrothermal vent. Credit: NOAA Pic 2: An imaginary view of Europa and its underground sea life. Credit: NASA/JPL Pic 3: A view of ROV taking a closer look at the rocky outcrop in the Mariana Trench. Credit: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research McDonald, Rebecca. “Invader Project to Send a Robotic Laser to Explore Deep Sea Vents.” SETI Institute, 2019, https://www.seti.org/press-release/invader-project-sendrobotic-laser-explore-deep-sea-vent US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “What Is a Hydrothermal Vent?” NOAA’s National Ocean Service, 1 Feb. 2009, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/vents.html Baross, J. A., & Hoffman, S. E. (1985). Submarine hydrothermal vents and associated gradient environments as sites for the origin and evolution of life. Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere, 15(4), 327-345,​https://www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro1991 “Life on Europa?” Geology, https://geology.com/stories/13/life-on-europa/ Morin, Holly. “What Is an ROV?” Inner Space Center, 2 May 2018, https://innerspacecenter.org/2017/01/what-is-an-rov/

Publication: Synthify (instagram: @synthifyofficial_) Editor: Hajin Ra, Ayeon Cho, Hiseo Shin, Teresa Nam, Aaron Cha, Arij Bouchhioua Writer: Yena Yoon, Ryan Ahn, Minsung Choi, Minchae Kim, Joseph Lim, Joowon Lee, Jaehwan Kim

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“It’s always our self we find in the sea” -E.E. Cummings