Hydrothermal vent

Think about it like a underwater chimney that spews hot steam and mineral-rich water into the ocean. These chimneys, called hydrothermal vents, are found on the ocean floor where magma (molten rock under the Earth's crust) heats up the water in the surrounding rock. The hot water rises and interacts with minerals in the rocks, picking up useful substances like sulfur and metals along the way. This hot, nutrient-rich water is then expelled back into the ocean through the vent.

Hydrothermal vents are unique environments that support a variety of life forms, including giant tube worms, crabs, and shrimp that have adapted to the extreme heat and pressure. The creatures living near these vents form the bottom of a food chain completely separate from the rest of the food chains in the ocean, since they rely on the nutrients provided by the vent instead of the sun like most ocean life.

Scientists study these vents to learn more about the Earth's geology and to better understand how different creatures can adapt and thrive in extreme environments.