First-Ever Footage of a Colossal Squid Captured Alive in the Wild
Alright, this is honestly one of the coolest marine discoveries in recent memory. Scientists have, for the very first time, filmed a living colossal squid in its natural deep-sea habitat. That’s right— a colossal squid , the stuff of oceanic legends, captured not in myths or in fishermen’s nets, but swimming freely in the depths of the South Atlantic.
The squid was recorded at a depth of 600 meters near the South Sandwich Islands, and although it was just a juvenile, measuring around 30 centimeters (about 12 inches), its presence is monumental. These creatures can grow up to a staggering 7 meters (23 feet) long and weigh up to 500 kilograms (over 1,100 pounds), making them the heaviest invertebrates on Earth.
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This sighting happened during a 35-day expedition onboard the Falkor (too) , a research vessel run by the Schmidt Ocean Institute. The crew used a remote-operated vehicle to explore one of the most remote regions of the planet—so remote, in fact, that the closest humans were actually in the International Space Station. How wild is that?
What makes this even more special is the timing—it coincided with the 100-year anniversary of the colossal squid being officially identified as a species. Talk about a full-circle moment in marine science.
Dr. Michelle Taylor, leading the mission from the University of Essex, said they were initially unsure what they were looking at, but filmed the creature because it was “beautiful and unusual.” And that beauty was later confirmed to be a juvenile Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni —the elusive colossal squid—by Dr. Kat Bolstad, a specialist in deep-sea cephalopods.
What’s really fascinating is how little we know about these giants. Until now, they were mainly studied through remains found in whale and seabird stomachs. Some dead adults have shown up in fishing nets, but this was the first time one has been observed alive and doing its thing in the deep sea. They even have hooks in the middle of their arms, which is just another creepy-cool detail that makes them so unique.
Dr. Bolstad summed it up perfectly: it’s humbling to think that these creatures exist completely unaware of us, drifting through a world we’ve barely begun to understand.
And if that wasn’t enough, the expedition also captured footage of a glacial glass squid for the first time. Two rare squid sightings, back-to-back. Just incredible.
Honestly, discoveries like this remind us how mysterious and magical our oceans still are. Even in 2025, there are parts of Earth that feel as alien and untouched as another planet. The ocean, with all its depth and darkness, still holds wonders we’re only just starting to glimpse.
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