Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. While it's not helping fly the Millennium Falcon, marine biologists have discovered a new type of deep-sea coral in the western Pacific Ocean that bears a striking similarity to a certain beloved character. A new scientific analysis of the species initially documented almost two decades ago indicates that is its own species, with long, hairlike branches that live up to its namesake Wookie. Ten years later, another example was documented close to the Mariana Trench . But it would take a few more years before University of Hawai'i ecologist Les Watling noticed the strange, ethereal sight while reviewing research from some of his colleagues.

A mysterious sound emitted from the deepest part of the ocean has finally been identified as a Bryde's whale. Now, artificial intelligence is helping researchers track the elusive whale species responsible for the call. The puzzle began in 2014 when researchers recorded a sound resembling a moan followed by metallic sweeping pings over the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench. "Your average person would not think that it was made by an animal – they would think it was some ship or the Navy," says Ann Allen at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Years later, additional recordings of the sound, which researchers call a biotwang, were eventually linked to sightings of Bryde's whales (Balaenoptera brydei) near the Mariana Islands.

An image of babies doing parkour generated by DALL-E mini. An image of babies doing parkour generated by DALL-E mini. DALL-E mini is the AI bringing to life all of the goofy "what if" questions you never asked: What if Voldemort was a member of Green Day? What if there was a McDonald's in Mordor? What if scientists sent a Roomba to the bottom of the Mariana Trench?

While all eyes were on the dramatic descent of NASA's Perseverance rover last month, a team sent a robot into another alien world, one closer to home: the deep sea. With its towering undersea mountains, dramatic geological features, and unique creatures--many of which remain mysterious--the deep sea is the last uncharted environment on Earth. Sinking any intrepid explorer into blackened waters means facing freezing temperatures and crushing pressure. Ever listened to the sound of metal creaking under pressure? Without protection, puny electronic components in a robot don't have a chance.

This silicone rubber robot can withstand the pressures in the ocean's deepest abyss A silicone robot has survived a journey to 10,900 metres below the ocean's surface in the Mariana trench, where the crushing pressure can implode all but the strongest enclosures. This device could lead to lighter and more nimble submersible designs. A team led by Guorui Li at Zhejiang University in China based the robot's design on snailfish, which have relatively delicate, soft bodies and are among the deepest living fish. They have been observed swimming at depths of more than 8000 metres. The submersible robot looks a bit a manta ray and is 22 centimetres long and 28 centimetres in wingspan.

Beijing – China livestreamed footage of its new manned submersible parked at the bottom of the Mariana Trench on Friday, part of a historic mission into the deepest underwater valley on the planet. The "Fendouzhe," or "Striver," descended more than 10,000 meters (about 33,000 feet) into the submarine trench in the western Pacific Ocean with three researchers on board, state broadcaster CCTV said. Only a handful of people have ever visited the bottom of the Mariana Trench, a crescent-shaped depression in the Earth's crust that is deeper than Mount Everest is high and more than 2,550 km (1,600 miles) long. The first explorers visited the trench in 1960 on a brief expedition, after which there had been no missions until Hollywood director James Cameron made the first solo trip to the bottom in 2012. Cameron described a "desolate" and "alien" environment.

Toxic man-made mercury pollution has been discovered in the deepest part of the ocean, in the Marianas Trench -- more than six miles below the surface. Researchers from China and the US used submarine robots to identify mercury in the fish and crustaceans living in the deepest part of the western Pacific Ocean. Mercury enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels, mining and manufacturing. It can then be transported into the oceans via rainfall. The liquid metal -- which was once used in thermometers before being banned -- is highly toxic and can be ingested via polluted seafood.

Two-thirds of the earth is underwater. We glide over the surface of the oceans, but we still have very little idea what is going on even a few metres down. We spend billions sending craft and people into space, but we do not really know what happens under the waves. One man who finds that more than curious is Graham Hawkes, a beneath-the-sea maverick who has been working on underwater craft for most of his life. It is a lonely, driven quest, relying rather dangerously on the engagement and backing of a few wealthy enthusiasts. Born in London, Mr Hawkes learnt his engineering expertise in the defence industry, working initially on torpedoes in Norfolk, England.