1Diving Through the Ocean Layers
Imagine the ocean as a giant underwater skyscraper that goes down for miles! The very top floor is the Sunlight Zone, where the water is warm and clear. This is where 90% of all marine life lives because plants need the sun to grow. As you travel deeper to the Twilight Zone, the water gets chilly and the light starts to fade into a ghostly blue. By the time you reach the Midnight Zone, about 3,300 feet down, it is completely dark and the temperature stays just above freezing.
2Creatures of the Deep Dark
Living in the deepest "rooms" of the ocean is a huge challenge because of the intense water pressure. Down in the Abyss, the weight of the water above is like having dozens of elephants standing on your head! To survive, many deep-sea animals have squishy, jelly-like bodies instead of hard bones that might snap under the weight. Some fish, like the gulper eel, have huge mouths to catch any food that happens to float by, while others have no eyes at all since there is no light to see with anyway.
3Making Their Own Light
Since it is pitch black in the Midnight Zone, many creatures create their own "biological flashlights" through a process called bioluminescence. The famous Anglerfish uses a glowing lure on its head to trick smaller fish into coming closer. Other animals use flashes of light to talk to friends or scare away hungry predators. Scientists estimate that about 90% of animals living in the deep open ocean have some form of light-making ability, turning the dark depths into a sparkling underwater light show!
