A colossal iceberg the size of Chicago has broken off from a glacier in Antarctica uncovering a thriving hidden ecosystem

When a Chicago-sized iceberg snapped off the George VI Ice Shelf in January 2025, it didn’t just drift quietly into the sea. It peeled back a chunk of Antarctica’s frozen roof, giving scientists a rare shot at exploring what lay beneath.

Racing to the site, a research team sent down a remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian, and found something unexpected: a thriving ecosystem of sponges, coral, anemones, and other deep-sea creatures – many likely never seen before.

“We didn’t expect to find such a beautiful, thriving ecosystem,” said co-chief scientist Patricia Esquete, as reported by Science Alert, who was among the first to witness the seabed now revealed after centuries of ice cover.

How does life survive in complete darkness?

With no sunlight and limited nutrients, researchers believe these organisms depend entirely on ocean currents that slip under the ice. Some sponges, growing just a few centimeters a year, may be hundreds of years old. The team suspects this hidden community has been there quietly for generations, frozen off from the world.

The team quickly changed their plans, collected samples, and began mapping the area. Co-leader Aleksandr Montelli said it was likely the first time anyone had carried out this kind of deep study in such a remote, sub-ice environment.

Does life move in when the ice moves out?

In a nearby area where ice retreated years ago, scientists have found other vibrant species – including icefish, sea spiders, and even octopuses – suggesting that new ecosystems quickly emerge once the ice clears.

It will take years to catalogue all the life forms found on this once-hidden seabed. But one thing is certain: Antarctica isn’t just ice and emptiness. It’s full of secrets. Some just need a glacier to move out of the way.

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