Unicorn, Found

In the deep, dark waters of the Southern Ocean, marine biologists recently discovered the oceanic equivalent of a “unicorn” – capturing video footage of a colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, that has evaded scientists for over a century.

“For 100 years, we have mainly encountered them as prey remains in whale and seabird stomachs and as predators of harvested toothfish,” said Kat Bolstad, a cephalopod researcher who helped identify the animal, in a statement.

Marine researchers captured the remarkable footage in March during a 35-day expedition to the remote South Sandwich Islands, part of the Ocean Census project aboard the research vessel “Falkor (too).”

Using a remotely operated vehicle dubbed “SuBastian,” pilots spotted the squid hovering at nearly 2,000 feet below the surface and filmed it for three minutes.

The team confirmed the species as a colossal squid after identifying the distinctive hooks on its arms – a feature absent in other members of the glass squid family, which are known for their transparent bodies.

Though colossal squids can reach lengths of 33 feet and weigh over 1,100 pounds, this one was a juvenile measuring roughly one foot in length.

“It was a teenager,” joked Michelle Taylor, chief scientist of the expedition, in an interview with BBC Science Focus. “Who would have thought that the first sighting of the colossal squid would have been such a modest size?”

Taylor and her team said the sighting and the resulting footage mark not only significant milestones for deep-sea exploration, but also a step forward in understanding one of the ocean’s most enigmatic giants.

The discovery also highlights the power of modern deep-sea research and underscores the need to protect these fragile, largely unexplored ecosystems.

“This is the final frontier,” Taylor told BBC Science Focus. “I find it baffling why people try to get to other planets when we’ve barely scratched the surface of this one.”