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mariana trench
What Did Deepest Submarine Dive in History Find in Mariana Trench? Plastic Garbage
"Our waste is finding its way into the planet's most remote environments."
May 13, 2019
Four new species of crustaceans. Samples of rock from the seafloor. Plastic pollution.
That's what American explorer Victor Vescovo found when he descended seven miles underwater to the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean--the deepest dive in human history. The plastic Vescovo found at the bottom of the trench is a grim reminder that human refuse is everywhere on the planet.
Vescovo and his team announced they had made the journey to the bottom of the trench on Monday. Along with the dive depth record, Vescovo holds the distinction of being the first person to dive to the trench more than once.
\u201cHumans have reached the ocean's extreme depths for the 3d time, nearly 11km (seven miles) down the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench. There were sea creatures, but a plastic bag and sweet wrappers were also found\nhttps://t.co/QOqd3fVQMB\u201d— Alfons L\u00f3pez Tena \ud83e\udd87 (@Alfons L\u00f3pez Tena \ud83e\udd87) 1557763539
According to the BBC, Vescovo's team collected samples from the sea floor for further study.
The scientists now plan to test the creatures they collected to see if they contain microplastics, a recent study found this was a widespread problem, even for animals living in the deep.
Reaction to Vescovo's accomplishment was tempered by his discovery of the plastics.
"Our waste is finding its way into the planet's most remote environments," BBC science correspondent Rebecca Morelle said.
\u201cThird ever time humans have made it to bottom of the Mariana Trench - and what do they see? Eerie landscape, amazing life... and a plastic bag! Our waste is finding its way into the planet\u2019s most remote environments @FiveDeeps https://t.co/qtjnjtSI4U\u201d— Rebecca Morelle (@Rebecca Morelle) 1557760770
The Science Channel listed off all the life found on the sea floor--and plastic.
\u201cWhat's it like at the bottom of #MarianaTrench, 35,853 ft below the waves? This habitat is home to an array of unique creatures incl Arrowtooth Eel, Grenadiers, Cusk Eel, Snailfish, and more... The @FiveDeeps team also found plastic waste on the ocean floor.\ud83d\ude14\ud83c\udf0a #DeepPlanet\u201d— Science Channel (@Science Channel) 1557761777
It's "a travesty that even at our ocean's deepest reaches, humanity's garbage is having an impact," said TV host Rachel Rudwall.
\u201cTremendous achievement by #VictorVescovo and his team at the #MarianaTrench, but a travesty that even at our ocean\u2019s deepest reaches, humanity\u2019s garbage is having an impact. https://t.co/eAFafWmrl7\u201d— Rachel Rudwall (@Rachel Rudwall) 1557773742
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