A team of international scientists has discovered a hidden ecosystem at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, home to hundreds of unknown species, during a five-year research mission. The findings were published in the prestigious journal *Nature Ecology & Evolution*, focusing on the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a vast area between Mexico and Hawaii. This discovery comes amid global efforts to extract rare metals essential for green energy transitions, prompting biologists to document this fragile ecosystem before human activity could disrupt it. Researchers identified over 4,300 organisms, including 788 new species, many of which had never been seen or described before. Advanced DNA analysis was necessary due to the extreme conditions. However, preliminary mining tests revealed significant harm to marine life, with a 37% decline in animal numbers and a third loss of biodiversity along equipment paths. Scientists now urge the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to protect the remaining 30% of this region, emphasizing the urgent need for strict conservation measures to prevent irreversible damage to ocean biodiversity.
Lecture du biais (Centre): The article presents scientific findings and environmental concerns without overt ideological slant. While it highlights the ecological risks of deep-sea mining, it does not take a clear political position on the issue, instead presenting both the potential economic benefits and the environmental危害.
