Ever since their discovery in the 1970s, deep-sea vents-chimney-like structures on the ocean floor that belch hot water and dissolved minerals into the surrounding ocean-have been one of the hottest topics in marine biology. The vents support populations of bacteria, giant worms, clams, shrimp and other creatures in the inky darkness, often several kilometres below the surface. Unlike virtually every other ecosystem on the planet, these deep-sea communities do not rely on the sun for their food.
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