Scientists Make A Chilling Discovery After Reaching The Bottom Of The Red Sea

Only five percent of the ocean has been explored... and with 'death pools' discovered on the floor of the Red Sea, I totally get why.

Of course, the idea that something frightening might be hiding in the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean isn’t the only thing holding back our exploration of nearly 70 percent of the planet.

But, I can’t imagine it helps much.

The deep sea is home to a bunch of scary creatures like the fangtooth, gulper eel, goblin shark, vampire squid, and anglerfish. But none are as terrifying as the unknown.

With these monsters, you at least have some idea of what you're dealing with - though the vampire squid isn’t really that scary, despite how it sounds.

Currently, scientists are researching the bottom of the Red Sea, which is located in the Middle East between Africa and Asia. 

A research team sent divers and probes to explore, but what they found were these so-called 'death pools'.

Fangtooth fish can be found at the bottom of the ocean... or at the Natural History Museum in London, where this one was on display Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Just hearing the name gives you chills, but what exactly are they?

Discovered at the depth of the sea inlet, part of the Indian Ocean, these are holes that extend beyond the sea bed. 

They contain no oxygen at all and are incredibly salty, making them almost impossible for most life forms to survive.

Why is this so chilling? Because opportunistic predators hang out there, ready to snap up any unsuspecting creatures that might wander in.

Professor Sam Purkis, chair of the Department of Marine Geosciences at the University of Miami, explained that fish that accidentally enter these brine pools are 'immediately stunned or killed'. 

Predators then wait nearby to 'feed on the unlucky'.

But it turns out that discovering these eerie, mysterious trenches actually provides crucial information about life on Earth.

The Red Sea pictured from space Getty Stock Image

Purkis said: "Our current understanding is that life originated on Earth in the deep sea, almost certainly in anoxic - without oxygen - conditions."

"Studying this community hence allows a glimpse into the sort of conditions where life first appeared on our planet, and might guide the search for life on other 'water worlds' in our solar system and beyond."

So, finding these pools might actually help with space exploration.

Another interesting insight is into 'life before life', given the scarcity of living things in these pits.

This gives us a rare look into the distant past.

He added: "Ordinarily, these animals bioturbate or churn up the seabed, disturbing the sediments that accumulate there.

"Not so with the brine pools. Here, any sedimentary layers that settle to the bed of the brine pool remain exquisitely intact."

I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about these death pools in the future.

As long as I’m not the one exploring them, I say... bring it on, nature.