Scientists have found an alien, inhospitable world not in the far reaches of the galaxy, but on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico — about a day’s boat ride from New Orleans. Dubbed the “Jacuzzi of Despair,” this pool of super-salty brine kills any unfortunate creature that happens to wonder in — mainly benthic crabs, amphipods and an occasional fish. The circular pool — about 100 feet in circumference and about 12 feet deep — lies nearly 3,300 feet below the surface of the Gulf. It contains water that is four or five times saltier than the surrounding seawater. “It was one of the most amazing things in the deep sea,” said Erik Cordes, associate professor of biology at Temple University who discovered the site along with several colleagues, and published a report on the findings in the journal Oceanography.
Source: Deep-Sea Brine Lake Dubbed ‘Jacuzzi of Despair’ : Discovery News
