Robot Searching for the Endurance Wreck Uncovers Bizarre Underwater Structures
The icy depths of the Weddell Sea have long concealed the mysteries of the Antarctic. In 2019, an expedition was launched to find the legendary wreck of Ernest Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, lost in 1915.
Although the team did not locate the ship at that time, their underwater robot, nicknamed “Lassie,” captured astonishing footage of strange structures scattered across the seabed—enigmatic formations that puzzled scientists for years.
Discoveries Beneath the Seabed
Six years later, researchers revealed the true nature of these sea-floor features. A study published in Frontiers in Marine Science (R.B. Connelly et al., 2025) reports that the seabed in this isolated area contains over a thousand circular depressions.
- Each depression has an unusually clean sandy interior, free from the plankton debris blanketing nearby sediments.
- This creates a strikingly geometric underwater terrain, unlike typical Antarctic seafloors.
Characteristics of the Formations
The initial images from “Lassie” reveal a diverse array of crevices:
- Some exist as solitary pits.
- Others gently curve in lines.
- Many cluster densely together.
These pits present a sharp contrast to the surrounding areas covered in vegetative debris, instantly drawing the interest of marine biologists.
Scientific Significance
The discovery offers a unique glimpse into an underwater landscape shaped by unknown processes, expanding scientific understanding of Antarctic marine environments.
"The seabed in this remote region is dotted with over a thousand circular depressions... a pattern unlike anything seen in typical Antarctic seafloors." — R.B. Connelly et al., 2025
Author’s summary: An underwater robot exploring the Weddell Sea uncovered geometric, clean circular pits on the seabed, revealing a unique Antarctic landscape that intrigued scientists for years.