A British scientific expedition has discovered the world's deepest known undersea volcanic vents, 5000 metres down in the Cayman Trough in the Caribbean. Using a deep-diving remotely controlled yellow-colored submarine from the Royal Research Ship (RRS) James Cook, the scientists found slender spires made of copper and iron ores on the seafloor, erupting water hot enough to melt lead. Scientists are fascinated by the deep-sea vents because the scalding water that gushes from them nourishes lush colonies of deep-sea creatures. This is forcing scientists to rethink the rules of biology on Earth. Studying the life-forms that thrive in such unlikely havens is providing insights into the possibility of life on other planets, and even how life on Earth may have begun.