• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
'Lost City' found deep in the Atlantic ocean is like nothing that's ever been seen on Earth

Home> News> Science

Updated 12:39 16 Apr 2025 GMT+1Published 17:13 27 Jul 2024 GMT+1

'Lost City' found deep in the Atlantic ocean is like nothing that's ever been seen on Earth

Experts believe the 'significant' landscape is at least 120,000 years old

Ella Scott

Ella Scott

Did you know there lies a ‘Lost City’ below the waves of our world where microbial communities have been thriving for more than 120,000 years?

While scientists have never been able to verify the legendary sunken city of Atlantis, it appears they’ve at least succeeded in discovering one ancient underwater landscape.

14 years ago, experts sent rovers to investigate what they believed was a towering, rocky landscape.

The vehicles plunged more than 700 metres below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean where they came upon a hydrothermal field, later dubbed the ‘Lost City’.

This field is situated west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and is thought to be the longest-lived venting environment known in the ocean, reports Science Alert.

Advert

Attributes of the underwater area include ancient walls thought to be at least 120,000 years old; chimneys spewing 104 Fahrenheit gasses and a monolith, named after Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea.

Despite the harsh conditions, the Lost City plays host to an abundance of ocean-dwelling creatures.

These include snails, microbial communities and various crustaceans.

It’s thought that these beasts feed off the field’s vents, which reportedly spit out hydrogen, methane and other gasses.

Various chimneys were discovered at the Lost City. (University of Washington/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Various chimneys were discovered at the Lost City. (University of Washington/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Advert

Moreover, microbiologists also claim that animals such as crabs, shrimps and eels also inhabit the environment.

However, as there is a distinct lack of oxygen present in the Lost City, these aquatic beats are a rare find.

Scientists say that hydrothermal fields, like the one they found in the Atlantic Ocean, probably exist elsewhere.

However, the outlined find remains the only one, which remotely operated vehicles have been able to navigate to thus far.

Speaking about the ancient ecosystem, microbiologist William Brazelton told The Smithsonian in 2018: "This is an example of a type of ecosystem that could be active on Enceladus [Saturn’s moon] or Europa [Jupiter’s moon] right this second and maybe Mars in the past."

Advert

Since its discovery in 2000, there have been numerous calls to protect the site due to its importance.

Scientists have called to protect the site from mining damage. (University of Washington/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Scientists have called to protect the site from mining damage. (University of Washington/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

However, in 2018, Poland was given the right to explore 10,000 sq km of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge for mining.

It’s thought the seabed initially garnered attraction due to it being rich in deposits of cobalt, manganese and gold, according to The Independent.

Speaking about the decision, Dr Gretchen Fruh-Green, the scientist who led the discovery said that explorers run the risk of ‘destroying’ the Lost City.

Advert

"We could destroy this place before we've understood it - before we can really appreciate the significance of these unique white towers and these very strange fluids that are coming out of the ocean floor,” she told Sky News.

“The significance of that for understanding the origin of life, for understanding processes in early Earth.

“It's our history, it's the Earth's history, and if we perturb it we don't know how fast it will recover, or what influence the perturbation would have on ocean chemistry.”

Featured Image Credit: x/RebbecaRHelm

Topics: History, Science, World News, Environment

Ella Scott
Ella Scott

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
  • 8 hours ago

    Man who killed twisted murderer Jeffrey Dahmer explains why he did it

    The notorious serial killer was killed in 1994

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Elon Musk forms his 'own political party' after fallout with Trump

    Looks like the tech billionaire isn't done with politics after all

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Woman who lives in underground bunker with no windows reveals how much she saves on rent

    At least she's ready for the apocalypse

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Man who chose to live underwater for 100 days to see what would happen to his body reveals shocking impact it had

    Dr Joseph Dituri spent 100 days at sea in 2023

    News
  • Scientists discover 'lost city' deep in Atlantic ocean that's like nothing else ever seen on Earth
  • 'Lost City' found deep in the Atlantic ocean is like nothing that's ever been seen on Earth
  • Scientists left baffled after discovering asteroid-comet hybrid that's like nothing ever seen before
  • Scientists predict Earth could get eighth continent and new ocean sooner than we ever thought