It is the second deepest known blue hole in the world
The second-deepest blue hole in the world has been discovered off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The giant, underwater cavern is about 900 feet deep and has an area of 147,000 square feet. It is located in Chetumal Bay, according to LiveScience.
Although the massive sapphire sinkhole was originally discovered in 2021, it was only documented recently in the scientific journal Frontiers In Marine Science.
As per Discovery.com, blue holes are home to ancient limestone caves carved into the ocean floor. Due to an accumulation of dead bacteria from fallen trees and leaves, these lesser-known inland blue holes are black in appearance and devoid of light. From the surface, they appear as nothing more than swamps, but what lies beneath is incredible.
"They are largely poorly understood," Christopher G. Smith(opens in new tab), a coastal geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) who has studied other submarine sinkholes but was not involved in the latest research, told Live Science.
Dubbed Taam ja' - which means "deep water" in Maya, these blue hole has little oxygen and sunlight only shines on the surface. Even with these conditions, these gigantic voids are teeming with life that has adapted to the low-oxygen environment.
It is the second deepest known blue hole in the world, after the Dragon Hole in the South China Sea which is believed to extend down some 980 feet, according to the study.
The indigo crater's walls protect the water from the tides.
Blue holes may offer a snapshot of what life was like thousands of years ago, reported LiveScience. It may also tell us more about life on other planets.