Glass sponges can live for thousands of years by building intricate skeletons of silica
Deep beneath the ocean surface, glass sponges construct intricate skeletons made of silica that allow them to survive for thousands of years as some of Earth's oldest living multicellular organisms.
Glass sponges are biological marvels that thrive in extreme environments up to 2,000 meters deep. By filtering silica from seawater to build glass-like architectural structures, they create complex three-dimensional habitats for diverse marine life, including rare polychaete worms. These sponges grow only a few millimeters each year, a slow pace that enables individuals to live for millennia.
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