Extreme 2004 Creature Features

The star of Extreme 2004 is the Pompeii worm. About 4 inches long with tentacle-like gills on its head, it lives in paper-like tube colonies attached to hydrothermal vent chimneys. It's believed to be the most heat-tolerant animal on the planet. How can it survive near-boiling temperatures? Scientists think the gray "fleece" of bacteria that lives on the worm's back may hold the answers.

Take a 3-D look at a Pompeii Worm. Click Here.

What's it feel like when you're descending in the submersible Alvin?

As they decend to the deep ocean, marine scientists might encounter any number of bizarre-looking organisms illuminated in their submersible's headlights. Check out the deep-sea dwellers that Extreme scientists have seen while submerging to vent sites over 2,500 meters (1.5 miles) down.

Could life exist on other Planets? Click here to find out.