Giant larvacean could help the battle against climate change

A strange sea creature that lives 1,000 feet below the surface encased in a giant bubble of mucus may be key to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These bubble-houses are discarded and replaced regularly as the animal grows in size and its filters become clogged with particles. Once discarded, they sink to the seafloor and encapsulate the carbon for good, preventing it from re-entering the atmosphere. Larvaceans also capture and dispose of microplastics in this way, which can come from clothing and cosmetics and often ingested by other marine species. Researchers used a system of lasers mounted on a 12,000 pound robot to map the giant larvacean's delicate body in a series of 3D images.