December 25, 2025
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6 images of another world on the high seas of 2025
From the first sighting of a colossal squid in the wild to a truly wacky octopus, 2025 has delivered some amazing photos of the ocean’s depths.
The mystery mollusk Bathydevius caudactylus observed at a depth of approximately 1,550 meters. It has a broad, paddle-shaped tail with several finger-like projections called dactyls that can help defend itself.
Many strange life forms lurk in the depths of the sea, and this year we were able to get a close look at several of them, including a wacky one. Doctor Who– a typical octopus, alien inhabitants of Antarctica and the first ever footage of a colossal squid in the wild. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite ocean oddities below.
“Mystery Mollusk” is no longer a mystery
For more than two decades, scientists at California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute have occasionally spotted a small, translucent creature in the ocean’s “midnight zone.” The gelatinous blob uses a hood surrounding its head to catch prey and has detachable tentacles; its hood and tail are decorated with bright blue-green dots. This year, scientists finally figured out what it was: the “mystery mollusk” is actually a nudibranch, or sea slug. In fact, it belongs to a whole new family of nudibranchs and has been nicknamed Bathydevius caudactylus.
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Baby squid, Doo Doo Doo
People have known about colossal squid for 100 years, but these enigmatic ocean dwellers, which can grow up to 23 feet long, had never before been observed in their natural habitat. That changed this year when scientists at the Schmidt Ocean Institute captured the first video of an image about 2,000 feet below the ocean surface in the South Atlantic Ocean. This particular squid wasn’t all that colossal, however: it was a baby, only about a foot long.
A large sponge, a group of anemones and other life forms are seen at a depth of almost 230 meters in an area of the seafloor that was very recently covered by the George VI Ice Shelf in Antarctica. Sponges can grow very slowly, sometimes less than two centimeters per year. The size of this specimen therefore suggests that this community has been active for decades, if not hundreds of years.
ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute
What’s under an iceberg?
When an iceberg the size of Chicago broke off an Antarctic ice shelf on January 13, scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute raced toward it in their Falkor (also) research vessel to get a glimpse of the life forms that lived below. “We felt like we were entering a complete unknown,” said Sasha Montelli, the expedition’s co-chief scientist, of University College London. What they discovered was a vibrant, alien ecosystem of anemones, sea spiders, ice fish and octopuses, including new species, that had been living there for decades or even hundreds of years.
ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute
Black of the Deep
On a mission to explore methane seeps off the coast of Chile, Schmidt’s researchers also explored several underwater canyons where they took this dark and dramatic photo of an anglerfish. These canyons are carved by strong currents that channel sediments, nutrients and organisms through the system. The flow acts as a moving buffet for creatures like this fish, which deep-sea detectives are still trying to identify.
A siphonophore documented at a depth of 1,250 meters in the Mar del Plata canyon.
ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute (CC BY-NC)
Hiding in pink sight
Off the coast of Argentina and three kilometers below the ocean surface, Schmidt scientists observed even more marine wonders in a canyon twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. Here, two currents meet – one salty and coming from the tropics, the other cold and coming from Antarctica – supporting rich biodiversity. Many animals, like the magnificent siphonophore above, have peachy-pink hues because red light does not travel far in the dark depths of the ocean, providing perfect camouflage.
A translucent telescope octopus floats in the deep sea.
ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute (CC BY-NC)
The wackiest octopus you’ve ever seen
One of our favorite images of the year is from the same canyon. The team spotted this translucent octopus floating upside down and, for the record. Doctor Who fans out there, giving serious Lady Cassandra vibes.
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