Deepest blue hole discovered with possibilities of hidden caves, tunnels inside

The Taam Ja' Blue Hole sits underwater in Chetumal Bay, Mexico

By Web Desk
April 30, 2024
Deepest blue hole in the world discovered, with hidden caves and tunnels believed to be inside. — Llive Science/File

The ocean is a mysterious place; it makes up 71% of the earth’s surface yet only 5% of the global ocean has been explored, Live Science reported.

It is the largest liveable space on our planet, with more lives and species then we could even imagine.

Advertisement

Recently, in Mexico, the world’s deepest underwater sinkhole has been discovered.

The Taam Ja' Blue Hole (TJBH), which sits in Chetumal Bay off the southeast coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, extends at least 1,380 feet (420 meters) below sea level.

The findings of the discovery were published in journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

Researchers wrote: "On December 6, 2023, a scuba diving expedition was conducted to identify the environmental conditions prevailing at the TJBH."

The depth of the sinkhole was discovered by a profiler, which is a device that reads and transmits water properties to the surface in real time via a cable.

The data collected revealed different layers of water within the blue hole, including a layer below 1,312 feet (400 m) where the temperature and salinity conditions resembled those of the Caribbean Sea and nearby coastal reef lagoons.

This suggests the TJBH may be connected to the ocean via a hidden network of tunnels and caves, according to the study.

The researchers wrote: "Within the depths of TJBH could also lie a biodiversity to be explored."

Advertisement