Irish scientists find new life in Atlantic’s depths

THEY are creatures from the abyss described as the closest things to extra-terrestrial life which can be found on this planet.

Irish scientists who have charted a previously unknown system of deep sea vents in the middle of the Atlantic revealed stunning images yesterday of potential new species they found living near underwater volcanoes some three kilometres below the ocean surface almost 1,500 kilometres off the west coast.

Vivid orange shrimp-like animals which see in infrared through a third eye, and scaly alien-like snails and worms are among many new lifeforms which thrive in these deep dark toxic depths.