Scientists uncover the aluminium shield helping a tiny crustacean survive

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have identified a deep-sea crustacean, the amphipod Hirondellea gigas, which uses aluminum to survive in the Mariana Trench, one of Earth’s most extreme environments. Its unique aluminum-coated exoskeleton helps resist calcium dissolution under immense pressure, allowing it to thrive where life was previously deemed impossible. This remarkable adaptation showcases innovative survival mechanisms in the deep ocean.