A calving iceberg exposed a region that never before had been seen by human eyes, revealing a vibrant, thriving ecosystem

Near an island in the South Pacific Ocean, a bright red sea creature with “canine-like” teeth swam around the coral reef. Maybe it was its vibrant coloring or its spiny body, but something about the animal caught the attention of nearby scientists. It turned out to be a new species.

Giant sea spiders, octopuses, ice fish, corals, and sponges—some likely to be hundreds of years old—were discovered in a newly exposed stretch of the ocean after a colossal iceberg, roughly 19 miles long,