The main reason why marine animals are able to grow so large is because water provides buoyancy, which supports massive body weights, says Will Newton. <\/p>\n
This force works against gravity and means that marine animals don\u2019t need thick, heavy bones to support themselves, like those that live on land do.<\/p>\n
Another reason why living underwater favours giants is\u00a0thermoregulation<\/a>. The larger an animal is, the smaller its surface area-to-mass ratio. This is key for retaining core body heat at the poles where water temperatures regularly drop below freezing, as well as in the ocean\u2019s dark, gloomy depths.<\/p>\n In the deepest parts of the ocean, the metabolic rates of animals slow down dramatically. While this means they grow slowly, it grants them sustained, uninterrupted periods of growth that can last decades or even centuries. This is one of the main driving forces behind\u00a0deep-sea gigantism<\/a>\u00a0and the reason why\u00a0colossal squids<\/a>,\u00a0greenland sharks<\/a>,\u00a0oarfish<\/a>, and other strange, deep-sea behemoths exist.<\/p>\n There are also abundant energy sources in the ocean. Yes, the open ocean may often be described as a \u2018marine desert\u2019, but there are\u00a0areas of deep-sea nutrient upwelling<\/a>\u00a0where small, energy-dense prey like krill congregate in their billions. <\/p>\n