MBARI sent ROVs more than 3,000 feet to document deep‑sea life and released a 4K video highlighting 2025’s most remarkable sightings. The footage shows sponges, translucent squid, jet‑black fish and unusual longhorn crustaceans—some captured for the first time on camera. MBARI says the observations advance understanding of ocean health and inspire stewardship. Separately, researchers logged a rare seven‑armed octopus, Haliphron atlanticus, the institute’s fourth encounter in nearly 40 years.
Inside MBARI’s 2025 Deep‑Sea Highlights: 4K Footage Reveals Rare, New Ocean Life
This octopus squid (Octopoteuthis deletron) was seen swimming at a depth of 3,057 feet.
Over the past year, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) deployed remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) more than 3,000 feet below the ocean surface to document life in some of the planet’s deepest, darkest habitats. The high-resolution video and scientific data gathered on those dives are helping researchers close major knowledge gaps about these hard‑to‑reach ecosystems.
To celebrate a year of discoveries, MBARI released a new 4K highlight video showcasing many of 2025’s most striking and enigmatic deep‑sea sightings. The footage—captured by the institute’s underwater robots—features delicate sea sponges, translucent squid, jet‑black fish and unusual “longhorn” crustaceans. Several organisms were observed on camera for the first time, offering fresh clues about biodiversity and behavior in the deep sea.
"Our observations of life in the deep contain a trove of important information about ocean health," MBARI said in the video description. "More importantly, they help connect audiences with our deep‑sea neighbors and inspire the next generation of ocean explorers."
Separately, during a recent Monterey Bay expedition MBARI researchers recorded an extremely rare seven‑armed octopus, Haliphron atlanticus. That encounter represents the organization’s fourth recorded sighting of the species across nearly 40 years of operations—an unusually significant observation given how seldom the species is seen.
Why This Matters
Beyond stunning visuals, MBARI’s footage and datasets support scientific study of species distributions, deep‑sea ecology and ocean health indicators. By making high‑quality images and data publicly available, MBARI aims to spur conservation, education and broader public engagement with the deep ocean.
