#Alarmed

Zombie worms are missing and scientists are alarmed

When researchers lowered whale bones into the deep ocean, they expected zombie worms to quickly move in. Instead, after 10 years, none appeared — an unsettling result tied to low-oxygen waters in the region. These worms play a key role in breaking down whale remains and supporting deep-sea life. Their absence hints that climate-driven oxygen loss could unravel entire whale-fall ecosystems.