Key facts
- A whale graveyard, up to 7 kilometers deep in the southeastern Indian Ocean, has been discovered.
- The site contains whale carcasses and fossils dating back 5.3 million years.
- Diverse marine life, including potentially undocumented species, thrives on the ancient remains.
- Factors like bone density, depth, and mineral coating likely contributed to preservation.
- The discovery offers insights into life's adaptation to extreme deep-sea conditions.
Scientists have discovered a vast whale graveyard, located up to 7 kilometers below the surface in the southeastern Indian Ocean, which is supporting a thriving ecosystem of marine life. The site, the deepest and oldest of its kind found to date, spans the largest area and contains fossils, including whale skulls, with the oldest bones dating back 5.3 million years.