Chinese researchers have discovered a giant, previously unknown hydrothermal system at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean that could shed light on the origins of life.
The Kunlun system, northeast of Papua New Guinea, is made up of 20 large craters, the largest of which is around 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) wide and 430 feet (130 m) deep. These craters are clustered together in what the researchers called a "pipe swarm," and they release copious amounts of hydrogen, which may feed the life that thrives throughout the system.
