CHANGING OLD IDEAS 5 In 1977, scientists got a surprise. Something was bubbling at the bottom of the ocean. They had found deep sea vents, home to amazing and unusual animals. Jonathan Eisen, one of the scientists investigating the vents, emphasized the discovery's importance. "It told us that life can 1 Not just grow a little bit, but actually thrive-leven]in the absence of light" The thrive. vents are home to a huge number of creatures. On average, scientists have discovered a new 10 species every 10 days since 1979. Timothy Shank, a marine ecologist, calls the number of new species mind-boggling "We're still on the tip of the iceberg" he says.