Astonishing Pictures of Polychaetes (Scale Worms)
They look like monsters from another planet. But far from inhabiting some alien world light-years from ours, these frightening looking creatures exist at the bottom of Earth's deepest oceans.
Astonishing new pictures of Polychaetes, or scale worms, show how they have evolved to survive the intense pressures more than 1,000 meters below the water's surface, where the sun's rays never penetrate. And it is hoped discoveries from this region could help shed light on the possibility of life existing on other planets.
Evolution: The scale worms have evolved to withstand the harshest environments found anywhere on our planet
Alien world: The conditions in the deep oceans have more in common with outer-space than planet Earth
Fearsome: Scale worms have mouths which can turn inside out in order to help them catch their prey
Scientists hope to learn about the potential for life on other planets by studying how these creatures have manged to thrive without relying on the sun's rays for energy
Exploration: As scientists push further into the unknown regions of the deep ocean they turn up more extraordinary discoveries
Survivors: The creatures can exists in both the extreme cold of the seabed, as well as super heated water found near the volcanic vents where water can be 375°C.
The images capture in extraordinary detail how the many different scale worms have evolve
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