300-degree hot springs hiding under the frozen Antarctic sea

Scientists have directly observed a unique marine ecosystem thriving 1,300 meters below the surface of the Antarctic sea. A team led by Principal Researcher Park Sung-hyun used an unmanned submersible to investigate hydrothermal vents along the Antarctic mid-ocean ridge. The expedition, conducted aboard the icebreaking research vessel Araon, enabled researchers to observe the deep-sea environment firsthand and collect data directly, expected to gain significant momentum for Antarctic hydrothermal vent research.