A HUGE underwater mountain has been discovered off the coast of Guatemala.
The discovery was made by unsuspecting scientists who were mapping the seafloor.
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The mountain is said to measure over 5,249 feet.
That makes it almost twice as high as the tallest building in the world.
Dubai’s Burj Khalifa building stands at 2,722 feet tall when measured to its tip.
The huge mountain lies 7,874 feet below the surface.
It was discovered by researchers at the Schmidt Ocean Institute.
Wendy Schmidt, co-founder and president of Schmidt Ocean Institute said in a statement: “On every expedition, those aboard Falkor (too) have found the unexpected, the awe-inspiring, the new.
“While there is so much we’ve come to understand as discoveries tumble ever faster into view, so much remains unknown in our Ocean–and we are thrilled to continue exploring.”
The researchers think such a large discovery demonstrates just how much of the ocean we don’t know about.
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Dr. Jyotika Virmani, executive director of SOI, said: “A seamount over 1.5 kilometers tall which has, until now, been hidden under the waves really highlights how much we have yet to discover.
“A complete seafloor map is a fundamental element of understanding our Ocean so it’s exciting to be living in an era where technology allows us to map and see these amazing parts of our planet for the first time!”
The researchers say the mountain covers an area of 14 square kilometers.
They used a device called a multibeam echosounder to create a colorful map of the seafloor.
The seamount is the ninth seafloor discovery of the Falklor vessel that launched on its mission in March.
Jamie McMichael-Phillips, director of the Seabed 2030 Project said: “Yet another breathtaking discovery by the team onboard Falkor (too).
“We are hugely grateful to all at SOI for sharing essential information that will move us further towards our goal of delivering 100% seafloor mapping by the end of the Decade.”
