Finding what you aren’t looking for isn’t always a bad thing! So far, the team has not found find more vents like the Lost City hydrothermal field, but they have discovered large high-temperature, black-smoker hydrothermal systems.
These fields are massive and have bustling ecosystems, raising many questions that need answers. There is currently an international discussion about sea-floor mining, and the International Seabed Authority needs better data to make decisions. “This is exploration… we know that we are gathering information that is going to be valuable in understanding the geology if this type of environment.” Catch up on the latest weekly update from the #LostCityVents expedition.
