Deep sea hydrothermal vents harbor some of the most extraordinary species on our planet. Lying at two to three kilometers below the surface, these extreme, insular ecosystems are powered, not by the sunlight-driven photosynthesis that we're used to, but by energy from superheated mineral-rich seawater jetting from cracks in the seafloor. This supports thriving and unique animal communities with a density of life that rivals tropical rainforests or coral reefs. From giant red tubeworms to iron-armored snails, these species were once considered to be untouchable by human activity, but that may not be the case for very long.