Scientists found an astonishing number of prawns near a 450-degree-heated submarine crater. How to make hot pot?

Since shrimps were discovered by humans, various types of shrimps have been brought to the table by a group of foodies. Even the crayfish living in the mud have been eaten by people.

Although the types of shrimp we often eat are different, they all have the same characteristic. They live in normal temperature water environments.

However, the scientific journal "Nature Communications" released a new species of deep-sea shrimp whose living environment subverts people's perceptions.

At the bottom of the Caribbean Sea, about 5,000 meters above sea level, there is an active submarine volcano.

British scientists discovered a magical area within the eruption range of the volcano. In this area, the seawater temperature is as high as 450 degrees Celsius, which is higher than the temperature of boiling soybean oil in a hot pot (230 degrees Celsius).

Theoretically, it is impossible for any living thing to survive in this area. After all, most undersea organisms are composed of proteins. Proteins will be denatured near 70 and lose their activity immediately, which means that organisms cannot live at all.

However, what surprised scientists was that in this sea with a temperature as high as 450 degrees, densely packed "eyeless shrimps" were discovered. This is a new species of shrimp named Rimicaris Hybisae.

The distribution density of this kind of shrimp is so high that trypophobia dare not open their eyes. According to scientists' statistics, in this area, the number of eyeless shrimps per cubic meter is as high as 2,000.

Scientists have questions: What kind of possessed skills can allow eyeless shrimps to live in a 450-degree environment? A series of studies were carried out.

Through careful research, it was discovered that the reason why eyeless shrimps do this is simply to survive.

The ocean world, like the land world, also has a biological chain system.

Sunlight can penetrate 200 meters above sea level. Here, with the energy provided by sunlight, it can feed many continental seaweed organisms. Seaweed organisms form organic matter through photosynthesis and form the ocean. The energy basis of the biological chain.

However, in the deep sea and undersea areas, there is no sunlight at all, let alone photosynthesis. The food of the creatures in this area is very poor compared to the creatures below the sea level.

The survival of undersea creatures mainly depends on two types:

For example, the most talked about is the whale fall formed after the death of a whale. After the whale falls to the bottom of the sea, the undersea creatures can enjoy it for several days. years, but after all, the number of whale falls is too small.

In fact, continental thermophiles live near submarine craters. Thermophiles can undergo sulfidation similar to photosynthesis, converting hydrogen sulfide, iron sulfide and other substances into energy and sulfur-containing substances. Amino acids.

This thermophilic bacterium forms the basis of the seafloor biological chain.

In order to survive, the eyeless shrimp living near the crater can only feed on thermophilic bacteria when there is no other food available on the seabed.

Because of food, the living range of eyeless shrimps is fixed. They can only live near the crater, so the evolution of temperature tolerance is essential.

The body of eyeless shrimp is also composed of protein. A temperature of 70°C will cause the body proteins to lose activity, but why won’t eyeless shrimp die?

Did the eyeless shrimp subvert modern biology?

No, the body composition of eyeless shrimp is not divorced from modern biology.

The largest component of its body is protein, and compared with the protein of ordinary shrimp, there is not much difference. Even in constant temperature water of 50°C, its protein loses activity.

However, scientists found eyeless shrimps in 450-meter waters because of their body's light-sensing nerves, which can sense water temperature based on infrared rays.

In fact, the water temperature where eyeless shrimps live does not exceed 40 degrees. Once the signal received by the light sensor exceeds this temperature, they will quickly leave.

However, they can directly pass through high temperature areas above 100 degrees Celsius and can stay for a short time but cannot live for a long time.

The short stay mainly relies on its shell. The shell of the eyeless shrimp is very soft and can withstand high temperatures in a short period of time.

Therefore, although scientists saw densely packed eyeless shrimps in the 450 crater area, they were actually walking through the waters rather than staying for a long time.

Of course, if the density of eyeless shrimps is too high, some will be squeezed inside and they will often be scalded to death.

Can eyeless shrimps be eaten?

Since crayfish living in sludge are praised by foodies, this deep-sea eyeless shrimp is definitely not bad in terms of hygiene and nutrition. So can it be eaten?

First of all, eating is okay, but there is a price.

As mentioned earlier, the volcanic crater will emit a lot of metal ions and sulfides. The copper ions alone are several times the amount in ordinary seas. This will lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in the eyeless shrimp.

However, heavy metals are very unfriendly to humans. Eyeless shrimps can be eaten, but they may become stupid after eating them.

On the other hand, in terms of nutritional value, eyeless shrimps are basically the same as ordinary shrimps, but fishing is too difficult, and it is estimated that ordinary people cannot afford such fishing costs.

So, in theory, eyeless shrimps can be eaten, but in fact, you can’t eat them even if you want to.

Written at the end

This is the case with creatures in the world. In order to survive, they will evolve various skills, just like the eyeless shrimp, even if they survive in a 450 environment for a short time , it’s enough to make people’s jaws drop.