250m tall Deep Sea waves discovered in Pacific Ocean

Waves more than 800 feet tall have been found to form and break underwater in parts of the deep ocean. They would be the ultimate in big wave surfing. Scientists have discovered waves that rise up to be taller than some sky scrapers. However, rather than being found on sun kissed beaches in exotic locations around the world, these waves are three miles beneath the surface of the ocean.  Researchers found the waves, which are also known as internal waves, form at the boundary between two layers of water with different densities in a deep ocean trench in the South Pacific Ocean.The waves rise up due to ridges on the ocean floor of a narrow channel to the north west of Samoa that forces cold, saltier water to rise up into the warmer water above.

For more information click:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10300388/800-feet-tall-deep-sea-waves-discovered-in-Pacific-Ocean.html

Mariana Trench: Deepest ocean 'teems with microbes'

An international team of scientists found that the very bottom of the Mariana Trench, which lies almost 11km (7 miles) down in the Pacific Ocean, had high levels of microbial activity.

The underwater canyon was once thought to be too hostile an environment for life to exist.

But this study adds to a growing body of evidence that a range of creatures can cope with the near-freezing temperatures, immense pressures and complete darkness.

In 2010, the scientists sent an unmanned submersible down into the vast underwater canyon, where it collected samples of the murky sediment that cakes the sea floor.

An analysis of the levels of oxygen in the sample revealed the presence of a large number of microbes.

For the full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21806406

For the excellent article: 'RACE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MARIANAS TRENCH ' FULL STORY CLICK THE LINK: 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17041438