Zombie Worms Vanish: Scientists Warn of Ocean Oxygen Crisis After 10-Year Study

• A 10-year study by Ocean Networks Canada and University of Victoria found no "zombie worms" (Osedax) on whale bones at 1000m depth.
• Zombie worms are crucial deep-sea scavengers that decompose whale bones, supporting marine ecosystems.
• Their absence signals expanding Ocean Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZs), a critical threat to marine biodiversity and food cycles.
• OMZ expansion, linked to ocean warming, makes even naturally low-oxygen areas uninhabitable for key species like Osedax.
• Scientists warn this global marine deoxygenation threatens UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 and vital deep-sea ecosystems.

Why It Matters: Vanishing zombie worms highlight a severe ocean oxygen crisis driven by warming, threatening marine life.