At depths of several kilometers, sunlight never penetrates. The pressure is hundreds of times greater than atmospheric pressure, and the darkness feels almost palpable.
Then, a creature emerges in the lights of a submersible, as if the abyss itself is taking on a visible form.
In the summer of 2026, researchers from the Ocean Exploration Trust encountered the extremely rare bigfin squid of the genus Magnapinna three times. All observations occurred during Expedition NA180 aboard the research vessel Nautilus.
The first encounter took place in late July on the abyssal plain of the Mariana Archipelago. The submersible Little Hercules spotted a squid at a depth of about 5,400 meters, 218 nautical miles northeast of Maug Island.
Two more encounters then followed in the waters of the Federated States of Micronesia.
The first squid was observed at a depth of 2,478 meters near an unnamed seamount, approximately 79 kilometers southwest of Lamotrek Island.
The second appeared at a depth of approximately 2,700 meters near another unexplored seamount, located between Ifalik and Chuuk islands, approximately 230 kilometers east of the previous sighting location.
These last two observations were published by the Ocean Exploration Trust on August 11, 2026.
Representatives of Magnapinna have been observed in their natural habitat fewer than a hundred times. Therefore, three encounters within a single expedition provide researchers with a rare opportunity to compare body posture, fin movement, and recurring behavioral patterns among different individuals.
The name Magnapinna translates to "big fin." However, the squid's most recognizable features are its extraordinarily long arms and tentacles.
Initially, they extend almost horizontally from the body, then sharply bend and drop into the water as thin filaments. This gives the impression that the animal has elbows, with its limbs extending far beyond the space illuminated by cameras.
A significant portion of our knowledge about these animals comes not from biological specimens but from rare video recordings. We can observe Magnapinna, but we are still only beginning to understand its life.
In a new video, one of the squid exhibits a behavior that researchers call sink fishing.
The animal hovers almost motionlessly in the water, allowing the long ends of its arms and tentacles to dangle freely downwards. It is presumed that upon contact with small prey, the squid can retract one of its limbs towards its mouth.
However, the feeding mechanism of Magnapinna remains insufficiently understood. New footage helps verify existing hypotheses but does not yet provide a definitive answer regarding its hunting strategy.
It does not pursue prey.
It makes no sudden movements.
It reveals its presence in the water — and waits.
Every encounter in the Ocean is a new layer of perception.
We direct cameras into the deep to observe an unknown creature, but something more profound occurs at the moment of encounter: the Ocean reveals yet another way of being alive to us.
Magnapinna unveils itself to the vastness and senses the world through the most subtle touches of water.
We are accustomed to associating survival with activity: speed, strength, and continuous movement.
Magnapinna demonstrates a different strategy.
Its strength lies in stillness.
Its mode of interaction with the world is sensitivity.
Its long filaments extend the body's boundaries, transforming the surrounding water into an extension of its perception.
This squid does not loudly assert itself in the ocean. It becomes part of the darkness, allowing the environment to communicate events through the slightest touches.
The deep teaches us:
to feel more,
it is not always necessary to move faster.
Sometimes, it is enough to open oneself to the space
and allow the world to touch you.
Every encounter in the Ocean is a new layer of perception.
We discover an unknown form of life —
and simultaneously, Life reveals another facet of Itself through us.
