In a breakthrough, scientists identified for the first time the deepest chemosynthetic ecosystem in the Southern Hemisphere — a system sustaining life on the seafloor without sunlight or photosynthesis -providing crucial evidence for the hypothesis of a global chemosynthetic corridor on Earth.

Additionally, researchers discovered several species of deep-sea snailfish and captured numerous images of benthic animals, most of which were identified as new species, highlighting the region's rich fish biodiversity. They also identified fault ruptures on the seafloor caused by historical major earthquakes, offering valuable evidence of how seismic activity shapes deep-sea geomorphology and affects biological habitats.

Due to ultrahigh pressure, extremely low visibility and frigid temperatures, deep-sea exploration is considered even more challenging than space exploration. However, China's homegrown submersible Fendouzhe has addressed many of these challenges, enabling operations at full ocean depth.