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Dive into an intense world of imagination as we explore the thrilling concept of encountering giant sea dinosaurs in the present day. Discover the secrets of the deep sea and learn why it is the perfect breeding ground for these awe-inspiring creatures.
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00:00Most of the ocean is still shrouded in mystery, whether we're talking about dark corners or
00:05creatures that are hiding in the depths. But sometimes, it gives us a peek into scary things
00:11it hides in its cold, dark depths. Like when you hear on the news that there are some deep-sea
00:16creatures washed ashore after a powerful storm once again. Some just look weird, while others
00:22are real monsters that live at depths of more than 3,300 feet. The coldest and deepest parts
00:30of the ocean have created one specific phenomenon called gigantism. So, sea spiders, squids, worms,
00:38and many other animals, mostly invertebrates or creatures without backbones, they're all way
00:43bigger and scarier than the versions we see in the more shallow areas. In the Pacific depths,
00:49you can see a sea sponge as large as a minivan. Or what about the colossal squid that lives in
00:56sub-Antarctic waters and is nearly 14 times longer than the arrow squid, a type that mostly lives in
01:03New Zealand? Researchers found many of these underwater monsters in the abyssal zone of the
01:08ocean. Back in 2021, the researchers showed images of the giant phantom jelly. It was at a depth of 3
01:16,200
01:16feet. Its tentacles were 33 feet long. Wow, I wouldn't like to face that one on the beach.
01:24It probably eats only small fish and plankton, but it can swim to depths of more than 21,900 feet.
01:32And down there, this giant jelly doesn't have enough food. How does it survive then? Scientists
01:38haven't figured it out yet. And there are even more questions related to the giant squid,
01:44the biggest one ever found. This monster is 43 feet long with a weight of nearly a ton.
01:51Imagine if those tentacles would grab your car or something like that. They would smash it like it
01:57was a toy. There's no light in the abyssal zone. Sun rays just can't penetrate that deep. So there's
02:05no algae or underwater plants there. Local animals mostly eat snow. Marine snow is not like the regular
02:13one you build a snowman with. It consists of any small flakes or remains that fall from the surface
02:19of the ocean. Maybe even some leftovers that animals up there couldn't eat. So it's not much.
02:26But apparently, it's enough for very large creatures that hide deep down there, like giant squids.
02:33Squids that generally live at such depths don't bother going after their prey. They just wait until
02:39the poor animal swims right up to their long tentacles and falls into a trap. It may not be
02:44the best method ever, because not many animals will even swim into these dark, cold parts. But it's the
02:50method that saves energy. A giant squid eats only one ounce of fish daily, which is approximately 45 calories.
02:59That's nearly 50 times fewer calories than an average person should eat per day.
03:04So when a squid gets one fish, it saves it for a couple of days.
03:09I hope giant squids won't get the idea to go to the surface and look for food when there's not
03:14enough of it in the abyssal zone. And I hope even more that giant Greenland sharks won't get that same
03:20idea. You can find them at depths of up to 7,200 feet. They're twice as slow as we usually
03:28walk.
03:29They swim at a speed of 1.12 feet per second. Their slowness is part of the energy-saving mechanism
03:35that creatures down there need to survive. But they can speed up in the form of short bursts
03:41when they need to catch prey. But they kind of change their diet from predator to scavenger,
03:46considering their environment. There will be more leftovers falling from the surface
03:50than animals to go after. Greenland sharks grow just 0.4 inches per year.
03:57And they're mostly 20 feet long, which means they live for a very long time,
04:03sometimes up to 400 years. They also have a slow metabolism.
04:07And that's one of the main factors for their long life, too.
04:12Greenland sharks like to spend their time in cold waters.
04:15They're adapted to that, since their tissues have specific chemical compounds that prevent
04:20the forming of ice crystals all over their body. That means they have some sort of natural antifreeze.
04:27So what makes them so big? Scientists are still not sure, but some theories try to explain it.
04:34There's this thing called Kleiber's Rule that says bigger animals tend to be more efficient.
04:40Just take a small fish and compare it to a whale, with a mass hundreds of times bigger.
04:45The whale has a greater metabolism. It conserves energy more efficiently and loses less of it to
04:52the surroundings through heat. Moving on. Bigger animals can ingest bigger prey.
04:58They're more likely to go through tough issues in their environment or defend themselves from
05:03predators going after them. Also, the body gets bigger when temperatures are lower.
05:08The Greenland shark is a perfect example. So are giant sea spiders.
05:13Sea spiders are generally common, and you find some very small ones at 0.04 inches.
05:19But in deeper parts of the Antarctic, they become three-foot-long giants.
05:25They grow so big because the cold water has more oxygen. That way, more of it diffuses into the
05:31animal's body, and that allows it to grow bigger. Yeah, both as a creature and a nightmare.
05:38And how about this giant tube worm? Researchers found it accidentally while they were exploring
05:43the mysteries of the Pacific Ocean floor. They stumbled upon unusual hydrothermal vents.
05:49Volcanic heat is a thing that gets them going. As water seeps down through faults or cracks in the rock,
05:55these vents change their direction. When the water gets out of the vent, it's rich in different minerals
06:01and chemicals. Most animals wouldn't survive being around this toxic soup of chemicals,
06:06but not these tube worms.
06:12They came as a true surprise, because not only are they not bothered by these toxic vents
06:18and the almost boiling temperature of the water, but they developed entire ecosystems there.
06:23They're unique because they don't need sunlight to survive. Instead, small bacteria are their main
06:30source of energy. That bacteria gets their energy directly from these toxic chemicals.
06:35So it's not photosynthesis, but a process called chemosynthesis. And these tube worms don't have
06:42mouths. These bacteria live inside them. Strange story, huh? Plus, these scary worms reach up to 8 feet.
06:52Giant isopods are no better, either. They lurk at the depths of the ocean of 1,640 feet or more
06:59below,
07:00far away from the sunlight, looking like some monstrous wood lice. They spend most of their time on the
07:06seabed, hoping to find some food falling from higher levels of the ocean. Check out their small hooked claws
07:13at the ends of their legs. Isopods use them to remain more stable while moving around the ocean floor.
07:20Since there's no light, they have long antennae that help them feel their way around. These sensory
07:26antennas are about half the length of their body. Giant isopods have pretty big eyes compared to their
07:32body size, too. They can grow over 12 inches from head to tail. And these fellas are really patient.
07:38Remember how we said animals down there rarely get food? Sometimes they need to wait for years to get a
07:45proper meal. That's why their metabolism is amazingly slow. Five years later, they can go for five years
07:54without eating anything. Imagine that. I get hungry just talking about this. In 2006, a biologist did
08:02research to compare the differences between the shallows and the deep sea regions. He realized the
08:08deep sea mirrors the island rule. First, isolated parts of land develop biodiversity you won't find
08:15anywhere else. Second, small-bodied life there grows much bigger when it's isolated, compared to life on
08:22large land masses. Resources are limited, but also competition and predators. And we don't know much
08:30about these deep sea creatures. It's too expensive and too complicated to carry out such research.
08:36So we'll just wait for more raging storms to show us at least part of the monstrous world cold ocean
08:42depths hide. A shimmering portal closes behind your back. A smiley guy greets you. Hey, you're not the
08:51first person to travel between the worlds, but such a journey still remains something out of the ordinary.
08:58At first sight, the place is not that different from your own. The same people, the same transport,
09:03similar architecture. Hmm, then why did your friends swear it would be the trip of your life?
09:10Your travel agent told you the town you'd be visiting is at the seaside. That's why you ask your guide
09:16if
09:16you could spend some time near the ocean. He gives you a funny look, but agrees.
09:22The day's brilliant, sunny, and hot. It feels only natural to take your clothes off to get some sun.
09:28After a while, you get up to go have a swim in foamy waves. But your guide grabs your arm.
09:35His grip is unexpectedly strong, his face anxious. No, it was risky enough to come to the beach and stay
09:41so close to the water. And now you're going to take a chance with your life? Huh? That's all you
09:47can answer.
09:48There must be some misunderstanding. What's so dangerous about this beach? Rip currents?
09:54The guide suddenly calms down. Don't tell me you don't know why people from your world travel here?
10:00You shake your head, and the man starts to laugh. When he's done chuckling, he becomes serious and
10:06mutters, okay, I'll show you something you won't be able to forget. Ever. Let's go.
10:13You walk along the beach, keeping more than enough space between you and the water.
10:18What surprises and worries you the most is the eerie silence. The only sound you can hear is waves
10:25hitting the shore. No kids cheering, no surfers riding their boards, no fishers waiting for a good
10:32catch. Your guide slows down, and you see a small harbor. For some mysterious reason,
10:38it's separated from the open ocean by a thick metal fence with massive gates.
10:44You and your guide are heading for a large boat, or rather, a ship.
10:49Uh, just how many people are going to join us on this excursion, you ask?
10:53It's just the two of us and the crew, your guide replies.
10:57In our world, it's too dangerous to put to sea on a smaller vessel.
11:02And, indeed, you notice no fishing boats or yachts nearby.
11:07You follow your guide downstairs and see a large cabin with a glass floor.
11:12Feel free to step on the glass, it's super thick and literally unbreakable.
11:16The ship starts vibrating and moves away from the shore.
11:21You're watching the rocky bottom, corals, and schools of colorful fish pass by.
11:26The water under the ship is getting darker.
11:29All of a sudden, your guide whispers,
11:32Here it is!
11:33The creature is enormous, longer than a semi-trailer and almost as long as the vessel you're on.
11:40Its body shape resembles that of the modern-day monitor lizard, but longer and more streamlined.
11:46This makes the animal more fitted for swimming.
11:49Its limbs are short, with webbing between fingers.
11:53It also has a wide tail with a broad, triangular plate on it.
11:58While swimming, the critter keeps its body stiff to reduce the drag through the water.
12:02The only thing that's moving is its mighty tail.
12:06As soon as you manage to get your voice under control, you scream,
12:10A DINO!
12:11Nope, your guide doesn't agree.
12:14It's a Mossasaur.
12:15They are dinosaurs.
12:17These creatures are reptiles.
12:19You must have their close relatives in your world, snakes and monitor lizards.
12:24The Mossasaur you see is one of the largest species, which are quite rare.
12:29There are many kinds of these reptiles, and the smallest is a mere 3 feet long.
12:34The average length is 13 feet at the most.
12:37But big specimens still occur.
12:40That's why we have to build such large, sturdy ships.
12:43Just one tail swipe from this beast, and a smaller vessel would be broken in half.
12:48The Mossasaur, you still find it hard to wrap your mind around it,
12:53is swimming under your boat for some time, and then swooshes up to the surface.
12:58Your guide answers the question in your eyes.
13:01Mossasaur's need air.
13:02That's why they regularly rise to get some.
13:04That's the reason they prefer shallow coastal waters.
13:08The creature returns.
13:10This time, you get a chance to see its jaws.
13:13Each is completed with two extra rows of triangular teeth.
13:17Behind them, you spot its tongue.
13:19And wait, is it really forked?
13:22All in all, the creature's mouth looks like one of a snake, including the teeth.
13:27They're also curved backward not to let prey slip away.
13:31Your guide chooses this moment to start telling you about the awesome creature.
13:36Yeah, Mossasauruses evolved around 100 million years ago.
13:40But 34 million years later, something went wrong, and they didn't disappear like it happened in your world.
13:46That's why now, our oceans are very different from yours.
13:50Fish and mammals in our oceans have developed special traits that allow them to avoid Mossasaurus.
13:56Plus, thanks to this reptile, we have a much greater diversity of marine species.
14:02You notice your Mossasaur dashing up and to the left.
14:06When it returns, there's something that looks suspiciously like a bird in its jaws.
14:11Noticing your surprise, the guide explains Mossasaurus eat pretty much anything,
14:16from fish and mollusks to seabirds and turtles.
14:21Suddenly, your guide screams, scaring you out of your wits.
14:25There! There! Can you see it?
14:27Honestly speaking, at first, you see nothing.
14:29But after straining your eyes, you spot two huge shadows circling each other.
14:35Your guide is brimming with excitement.
14:38You can't imagine how lucky we are!
14:40I've been doing this job for 15 years, but I've never seen a Mossasaur fighting with a megalodon.
14:47For a moment, your mind stops functioning.
14:50Has he just said there are megalodons in his world?
14:53And then you see it.
14:55A giant animal is coming closer.
14:57It's almost 60 feet long, bigger than the whale shark, the largest of all the shark species in your world.
15:04Your guide keeps blabbing.
15:05Both of these creatures are top predators.
15:08Mossasaurus are usually a bit smaller than megalodons, but this one's huge!
15:13As the sea monsters get closer, you manage to get a better look at the Meg.
15:18Its jaws can open for almost 10 feet and are littered with five rows of sharp, serrated teeth.
15:24They're built in such a way so that they don't crack even after hitting bone.
15:28The Meg is an ambush hunter, continues your guide.
15:32It probably wanted to take the Mossasaur by surprise by attacking it from below.
15:37But this attempt failed.
15:39Now the predators are moving in circles, likely sizing each other up.
15:44They look rather angry and hungry.
15:47The Mossasaurus try to get closer to the shark's tail or fins.
15:51The creature understands there's no way it could bite through the Meg's bulky sides.
15:56The shark chooses another tactic.
15:59It's aiming for the Mossasaur's long midsection.
16:02The critters start circling faster, getting closer to each other.
16:06The Mossasaur keeps changing its pace from slow, almost lazy movements to nervous bursts of speed once it sees the
16:15Meg approaching.
16:15The shark is swimming in a steady way, watching the opponent with its piercing black eyes.
16:22You can't help but think it's pretty obvious which animal's going to be the winner.
16:27The Mossasaur's jaws are suited for small prey, like fish.
16:31Its jaws wouldn't be able to open wide enough to get around the Meg.
16:34Because even though both creatures are of the same length, the Meg's body is much more massive.
16:40Its jaws are also more powerful, designed to deal with whales and other large marine animals.
16:46Plus, the Mossasaur's body isn't efficient for high-speed swimming.
16:50It gives the shark another advantage.
16:53In a flash, the Meg twists its body and rushes at the Mossasaur.
16:58Its maneuver is not to let the enemy get an upper hand by striking from below.
17:03The two powerful creatures clash each other.
17:05You see the Mossasaur try to maneuver out of the Meg's way, but to no avail.
17:11You're clenching your fists, silently sending your support to the Mossasaur.
17:16And then, a sudden jerk, and you find yourself on the floor.
17:20Go! Go! Go!
17:21Your guide's shouting at the skipper.
17:24It turns out the animals got so engrossed in their confrontation
17:27that they didn't notice the vessel and crashed into its side.
17:31Now it's crucial to get as far away from them as possible.
17:34If these huge creatures decide the ship is their common enemy,
17:38they may cooperate to attack it.
17:42Luckily for you, the beasts don't realize the thing they collided with
17:46is actually a container with food.
17:49The boat is getting further and further away,
17:51and you can only guess the outcome of the battle.
17:54Too soon for your liking, you reach the shore.
17:58The guide, who still looks thoroughly stunned, drives you back to the portal.
18:02You, similarly awed, thank him and step through the shimmering veil.
18:07You're clutching at a Mossasaur tooth in your hand.
18:10It's the skipper's gift to you,
18:12the only reminder about the incredible world
18:15where Mossasaurs are still roaming the oceans.
18:18That was still a good plan.
18:18Depend nice hour.
18:19Get in theśli.
18:19and welcome.opa
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