Scientists capture hundreds of rare sea creature including the world's most ugly one

Too much unknown in abyss.

There are tens of millions of earth species, and many have remained to be explored, especially the creatures in the deep sea. Recently, more than 100 species of rare deep-sea creature were captured off the coast of eastern Australia by scientists, many of whom were strangely weird and even discovered "cousins" of Blobfish known as the world's most ugly creature.

Psychrolutes marcidus

A team of scientists led by the Australian Museum of Victoria spent a month last year studying species at 4,800 meters below sea level, capturing more than 42,000 deep-sea creatures, which may include new species and scientists will gather and conduct further testing at Hobart, the capital of Tasmania.

Fish without face

Interestingly, a few Psychrolutes marcidus of the same species as Blobfish were also found in the captured creatures. Blobfish, a member of the genus Psychrolutidae, was found in New Zealand's offshore capital in 2003 and is named after the scientist who discovered it. Since then, in 2013, Blobfish has been voted "Ugliest Animal in the World" by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, which has drawn the attention of the global media.

In addition, other species captured during the mission include the shiny bioluminescent cookie-cutter shark, whose teeth are jagged and extremely sharp, as well as the "graceful" deep-sea Tripod fish, which uses long fins to hold their bodies on the seabed, waiting for food to approach.

Alastair Graham, head of Australia's national fish collection center, said the deep ocean is the broadest and deepest animal habitat on Earth, covering half of the world's oceans, but remains the least explored regions on the earth.

Tripod Fish  

Tripod Fish  

BOLIVIA, N.C. (AP) — A judge on Tuesday ordered that a Marine veteran charged with three counts of first-degree murder in a mass shooting at a North Carolina waterfront bar last year undergo psychiatric treatment after it was determined he is unable to understand his legal proceedings enough to help his lawyers.

The case of Nigel Max Edge had been scheduled for a Brunswick County court hearing in which the local prosecutor was slated to reveal whether he intended to seek the death penalty. But District Attorney Jon David said in a news release that part of the case was set aside because questions about Edge's “capacity to proceed” were raised by multiple mental health professionals.

“The defense has presented evaluations from two experts, and this office requested an independent evaluation by a state forensic examiner,” David said. “All three evaluations conclude that Mr. Edge currently lacks the capacity to proceed to trial.”

Superior Court Judge Jason Disbrow ordered that Edge be transferred to Cherry Hospital, a state psychiatric facility in Goldsboro, David said.

David said the state’s mental expert found that Edge “may be restored to capacity through appropriate treatment, including medication and counseling." With such a restoration, the legal case against Edge would resume.

Voicemail and email seeking comment were left for Edge's public defender, Matthew Geoffrion.

Authorities allege Edge, 41, piloted a small motorboat up to a dockside cocktail bar in Southport last Sept. 27 and opened fire with a short-barreled semiautomatic rifle. Three people were killed, and several others were injured.

Edge, who faces additional charges, was serving with an elite sniper unit in Iraq when he was shot four times, including once in the head. Friends and family say he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and still has a bullet lodged in his brain.

Tuesday’s action has “the practical effect of suspending further litigation unless and until the defendant’s capacity is restored,” David said, adding the state could still seek the death penalty “should the facts and law warrant this designation.”

Edge will remain in custody during treatment, which David said would be for an “indeterminate” amount of time.

FILE - A man hugs a police officer in front of the American Fish Company following a fatal shooting that occurred the night before, Sept. 28, 2025, in Southport, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)