Some deep-sea creatures like snailfish can survive in extreme depths by producing a chemical called TMAO that shields proteins from breaking down under intense pressure. They also have smaller, more flexible bones and cartilage to help them remain buoyant in the high-pressure environment. Most organisms cannot survive over 27,000 feet deep where the water pressure is over 800 times greater than atmospheric pressure and would crush gas bladders.

1. Some Ways Deep Sea
Creatures Survive in
Deep Water

2. A longtime resident of the
Westbury, NY, community,
Valerie Varnuska has an
insatiable curiosity that leads
her to explore the hidden and
historical wonders of the
world.Valerie Varnuska's
interests encompass
everything from the universe's
expanse to the ocean's
depths.

3. Like some snailfish, deep-sea creaturesthrive in water
depths as low as 27,349 feet below the sea surface. At this
depth, the weight of the water above presses on the tissues
and proteins of an organism. This pressure (830 times
greater than atmospheric pressure) is too much for most
organisms, including humans. It degrades the proteins in
body cells, leading to unstable cells that eventually die. For
a few reasons, deep-sea creaturesare immune to this
pressure.

4. Some deep-sea creatures,like
snailfish, produce a chemical
called trimethylamine N-
oxide, or TMAO. This
chemical acts like a shield,
preventing these proteins
from breaking down due to
intense physical stress.

5. In addition,snailfish and other deep-sea creatures
generally have smaller bones,fins, and more flexible
cartilage.These streamlined properties help them
remain buoyant and move through their high
pressure.Unlike snailfish,fish in shallower waters rely
on their gas bladders to maintain buoyancy in the
water. These species can't survive in high-pressure
deep-sea environments because the immense
pressurewould crush the gas bladder organ.