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It looks like a lake beneath the ocean but it’s actually a brine pool. These ultra-salty pools form when dissolved salts make the water much denser than the surrounding seawater, causing it to settle on the seafloor and create visible boundaries that resemble shores and waves. Brine pools can be extremely low in oxygen and contain toxic compounds, making them hostile to many marine animals. Yet specialized microbes and organisms thrive there, giving scientists a unique opportunity to study life in extreme environments and even consider what life might look like beyond Earth. #brinepools #deepsea #oceanlife #marinebiology #Science