Ocean explorers discover massive underwater volcano twice the height of Burj Khalifa

In a remarkable finding, ocean explorers identified an enormous underwater geological feature while conducting seabed mapping off the coast of Guatemala. This formation, a seamount, measures a staggering 5,250 feet (1,600 meters) in height, which is double the height of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The discovery occurred during an expedition led by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, employing advanced multibeam sonar mapping technology. The towering seamount sits approximately 7,870 feet (2,400 meters) beneath the ocean's surface in the Pacific Ocean, specifically located in international waters, about 97 miles (156 kilometers) from Guatemalan waters. The researchers were engaged in a six-day transit from Costa Rica when they uncovered this geological marvel. Jyotika Virmani, the executive director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, expressed her excitement regarding this unprecedented discovery, highlighting the significant potential for uncovering more similar features on the ocean floor. The cone-shaped seamount covers a surface area of about 5.4 square miles (14 square kilometers) and presents a fruitful habitat for various deep-sea organisms, including corals, sponges, and invertebrates, due to the rocky structure providing shelter against the predominantly muddy seabed of the ocean. The implications of this discovery are profound, as scientists believe there could be over 100,000 unexplored seamounts that await discovery through ongoing and future seafloor mapping efforts. Virmani emphasized the importance of a complete understanding of the ocean floor, indicating that having such maps is fundamental to comprehending oceanic ecosystems and their preservation. This endeavor is part of broader collaborative projects like the Seabed 2030 initiative, aiming to map the entire ocean floor by the end of the decade. The knowledge gained from such discoveries not only contributes to scientific research and environmental understanding but also reflects the technological advancements making these explorations possible. Living in a time where we have the ability to illustrate previously uncharted territories deep beneath the waves marks a significant achievement in oceanographic studies.