Deep-Sea Tube Worms: Life By The Hydrothermal Vents

Miles below the ocean surface, beyond the reach of sunlight, a curious life form has found a way to not only survive, but also thrive. Giant tube worms (Riftia pachyptila) can be found living near deep-sea hydrothermal vents—cracks in the Earth’s crust that can heat the seawater to over 660° F. Join Dr. Spencer Nyholm from UConn’s Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and learn about the symbiotic relationship between giant tube worms and the extreme ecosystem they live in.