Scientists uncover the aluminium shield helping a tiny crustacean survive
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have identified a deep-sea crustacean, the amphipod Hirondellea gigas, which uses aluminum to survive in the Mariana Trench, one of Earth's most extreme environments. Its unique aluminum-coated exoskeleton helps resist calcium dissolution under immense pressure, allowing it to thrive where life was previously deemed impossible. This remarkable adaptation…
A crab's incredible journey began in 2022, when a female three-spot swimming crab (Portunus sanguinolentus) became trapped inside a plastic bottle containing Shaoxing cooking wine. En route, the crab survived by feasting on juvenile fish within the bottle, consuming a diet of fish remains and green and brown algae. When researchers released the crab, they discovered she had drifted across the ocean's surface for at least two months, her survival echoing the story of Odysseus and his Odyssean trials.
The researchers likened her plight to the tale of a salamander trapped in a burrow and the unexpected survival of anacondas in chicken coops, highlighting the unexpected resilience of wildlife.
Written by urgent.news from 404 Media's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
