Divers examining the damage caused by this year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have experienced a curious phenomenon.
Two weeks after the leaking well was capped, divers noticed that much of the water deep below the surface appeared to be normal with a wide variety of species of marine life.
But 35 miles from the stricken Deepwater Horizon oil rig the divers saw something strange. In the shallows, approximately 35ft in depth, barnacles, sponges and few pieces of coral were entirely lifeless.
When they swam closer to land, they found that the "deadzone" went even deeper.
Scientists have expressed concern following the discovery but more tests are needed to establish why exactly this has occured.
