Marine biology enthusiasts will enjoy this: NPR reports that scientists probing the bottom of 1,500 mile-long MARIANA TRENCH, miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, have seen the deepest living fish ever recorded (http://tinyurl.com/trenchfish).

The fish-eye view was accomplished by dropping refrigerator-sized “landers” — loaded with equipment, cameras and baited traps to attract fish — to the bottom of the trench and waiting to see what would happen.

Along with spotting a surprising amount of sea life, they also saw what appears to be a new fish species, a translucent SNAILFISH, nicknamed “ghost fish,” which is pictured in a screen shot from a video featured on the NPR website.

In case you’re wondering: “The reason the fish can withstand pressure that’s thousands of times that at the surface is because of a special chemical in their bodies,” the story says. “Called trimethylamine oxide, it keeps the cell walls of the fish and amphipods flexible so they don’t get crushed or infiltrated with saltwater.”

There are plans to continue the research with a remotely operated vehicle that can travel along the bottom.

— Elleda Wilson