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SINGAPORE – Carnivorous sponges and a worm smaller than a paperclip that could potentially treat neurodegenerative diseases are among the more than 1,100 species that were uncovered as part of a global initiative to accelerate the discovery of marine life.
Between April 2025 and March 2026, a record 1,121 species were discovered by scientists across 13 expeditions in various less-explored regions of the ocean.
This represents a 54 percent increase from the number discovered in the previous year, said The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, which led the efforts.
Founded in 2023, Ocean Census is a collaboration between The Nippon Foundation, a Japanese philanthropic body, and Nekton, a UK-based ocean exploration institute.
