Why Do Deep Sea Creatures Look So Scary?

Deep sea creatures like the anglerfish look terrifying. Turns out, there’s a reason for that.
Subscribe! http://bit.ly/1FkxVLb ‖ Twitter! https://twitter.com/gross_science ‖ Tumblr! http://grossscience.tumblr.com/
↓Want more info?↓

How far does light travel in the ocean? (NOAA): http://1.usa.gov/1N3rz04
In Defense of the Blobfish (Smithsonian): http://bit.ly/1N3rN7u
More on sight in the deep sea (The Royal Society): http://1.usa.gov/1N3rUzW
More on anglerfish (Copeia--behind paywall): http://bit.ly/1N3sbTq

Host, Editor, Animator
Anna Rothschild

Writer, Researcher, Camera
Ceri Riley

Chic Surreal b
Music Provided by APM

Original Footage
©WGBH Educational Foundation

Images and Footage

File: Messina Straits Chauliodus sloani
Wikimedia Commons/Professor Francesco Costa

Kelp Forest and Sunlight
Pond5/EthanD

Marine Snow Video (What Is Marine Snow?)
NOAA

Melanocetus anglerfish swims and turns in black
Getty/BBC Natural History

Anglerfish with full stomach
© Trustees of the NHM, London

File: Psychrolutes phrictus
Wikimedia Commons/NOAA

File: Psychrolutes phrictus 1
Wikimedia Commons/NOAA/MBARI

Messina Straits Argyropelecus hemigymnus
Wikimedia Commons/Professor Francesco Costa

Atolla wyvillei (Operation Deep Scope 2004)
Wikimedia Commons/NOAA Ocean Explorer

Humpback Anglerfish (Melanocetus Johnsonii)
Wikimedia Commons/Javontaevious

Tripod Fish at a depth of 1440mtr in Brazil
Internet Archive/Filmcollective Worldwide

Giant Isopod (18443864634)
Wikimedia Commons/Eric Kilby from Somerville, MA, USA

Japanese spider crab
Wikimedia Commons/Popular Science Magazine, jun. 1920.

N20090116 120650--pan
Wikimedia Commons/Y23

Representatives of ceratioid families
Wikimedia Commons/Masaki Miya et al.

SFX

Cockroaches
Freesound/StateAardvark­
(used with permission from author)

Squeak Pack/squeak_10
Freesound/Corsica_S

Scream/Woman Screams
Freesound/SironBoy/MaderaDelEste Films

Squeak Pack/squeak_10
Freesound/Corsica_S

Produced by WGBH for PBS Digital Studios