China's research vessel collects over 400 samples from Mariana Trench
China's research vessel KEXUE (Science) collected about 400 samples from a seamount in the south of the Mariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth.
The vessel started the exploration last Monday and used a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) to reach the deep sea.
The Kexue research vessel /VCG Photo
Among the collected samples are 39 pieces of rocks and about 360 pieces of large animal samples from over 170 species.
In the real-time videos that the ROV transmitted back, scientists found symbiotic relationships among some deep sea creatures.
Deep sea creature /Screenshot from the video
Some corals, crustaceans, and mollusks in the deep sea were discovered for the first time.
Shrimps in the deep sea /VCG Photo
KEXUE, which departed from Qingdao City in east China on May 18, will carry out a 20-day investigation. It is scheduled to go back to Xiamen City of China's Fujian Province on June 23.
Read more: Chinese scientists discover "seabed gardens" in Mariana Trench
(Cover image: Screenshot from the video)
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