One of the 12 white crabs that marine biologist Jim Childress extracted from near hot-water vents on the Pacific Ocean floor reluctantly posed for a picture recently. The crustaceans, 15 tube worms, and 30 yellow mussels have survived the past two months on campus in refrigerated, pressure tanks built by technicians to simulate conditions 8,000 feet below the surface where sunshine never penetrates. In 1998, Childress retrieved a number of deep-sea tube worms and kept them alive at UCSB for around five weeks, the first time that had been accomplished.

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