Far out in the south-eastern Indian Ocean, a vast and largely unexplored stretch of seafloor is reshaping how scientists understand deep-ocean history. Hidden within the Diamantina fracture zone, the seabed is marked by long scars, deep trenches, and ridges that plunge into near-total darkness under extreme pressure.

Researchers uncovered an enormous deep-sea accumulation of whale remains in the southeastern Indian Ocean, showing long-term, specialized ecosystems and an extensive fossil record…

In the Indian Ocean, a deep-sea area roughly 1,200 kilometres long and 7 kilometres deep was found to harbour an ecological landmark site of whale remains.