• 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
    • First Impressions - The Game
    • 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
Scientists have filmed a colossal squid for the first time ever after discovering the species 100 years ago

Home> News> World News

Published 17:28 19 Apr 2025 GMT+1

Scientists have filmed a colossal squid for the first time ever after discovering the species 100 years ago

The discovery of the colossal squid was made by crew on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too)

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

Scientists are left in disbelief after a nearly one foot long colossal squid was filmed for the first time in its natural environment, a hundred years after its discovery.

The so-called Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni was located by an international research team on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Falkor (too) vessel on 9 March.

Never ask me to pronounce that name.

Advert

Anyhow, coming in at 30cm, the colossal squid was captured on video by the Institute’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian on a 35-day expedition near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.

What makes it so colossal is that the squid has the capability to grow up to seven meters (23 feet) in length.

The discovery of the colossal squid was made by crew on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too) (ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute)
The discovery of the colossal squid was made by crew on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too) (ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute)

It can also weigh as much as 500 kilograms (1100 lbs), the longer it lives on. This means that it's the heaviest animal without a backbone on the planet.

“It’s exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist,” said Dr Kat Bolstad of the Auckland University of Technology.

Advert

READ MORE:

DEEP SEA CAMERA CAPTURES FOOTAGE OF INCREDIBLY RARE SHARK

'HARBRINGER OF DOOM' FISH WASHES UP ON BEACH

“For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish.”

You can see the footage here:

According to the institute, little is known of a colossal squid's life cycle, however, because of this squid's see-through appearance, it has been determined to be a juvenile. They go on to say that eventually it will lose its glassy appearance.

Advert

But this isn't the only notable squid sighting, as in January, another member of the glass squid family (Cranchiidae) was discovered by the same vessel near Antarctica.

Known as 'G. glacialis,' it happens to be another glass squid species that has never been seen alive in its natural environment before.

Dr Bolstad and Dr Aaron Evans, another expert on the glass squid family, said the one of most notable difference between the colossal squid and the other one is the presence of hooks on the middle of their eight arms.

A glacial glass squid was also spotted for the first time this year (ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute)
A glacial glass squid was also spotted for the first time this year (ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute)

“It’s incredible that we can leverage the power of the taxonomic community through R/V Falkor (too) telepresence while we are out at sea,” said the expedition’s chief scientist, Dr. Michelle Taylor, who led The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census team on the South Sandwich Islands expedition (via Schmidt Ocean Institute).

Advert

Dr Taylor, of the University of Essex, added: “The Ocean Census international science network is proud to work together with the Schmidt Ocean Institute to accelerate species discovery and expand our knowledge of ocean life, live online with the world’s science community.”

“The first sighting of two different squids on back-to-back expeditions is remarkable and shows how little we have seen of the magnificent inhabitants of the Southern Ocean,” noted Schmidt Ocean Institute’s executive director, Dr. Jyotika Virmani.

“Fortunately, we caught enough high-resolution imagery of these creatures to allow the global experts, who were not on the vessel, to identify both species.”

The discovery by the Schmidt Ocean Institute was in collaboration with the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census and GoSouth.

Featured Image Credit: ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute

Topics: Animals, World News, Environment

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

3 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • 3 hours ago

    King Charles won't be at Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration due to royal protocol

    The monarch, nor Prince William, will be attending the inauguration of Pope Leo

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Pope Francis’ final wish for ‘Popemobile’ ahead of Leo XIV's inauguration this weekend

    The inauguration of the new Pope is set to take place this weekend

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Weightlifter, 31, given 5 years to live after believing 'common' symptoms were caused by gym training

    Scott was on his way to work one day when he suffered a seizure

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    What was found inside Nazi files discovered in basement of Argentina's Supreme Court

    The Nazi documents could help clarify events in relation to the Holocaust

    News
  • Scientists make terrifying discovery after seeing Great White eating rival shark for first time ever
  • Scientists discover brand new species of dinosaur in UK and it’s the most complete find in 100 years
  • Scientists made chillingly bleak discovery after finally reaching bottom of Red Sea
  • What underwater volcano eruptions look like as scientists warn one off US coast set to explode imminently