An international research team led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel has discovered a globally unique system on the seabed off the coast of Papua New Guinea. During their expedition aboard the research vessel SONNE, they came across the “Karambusel” field, where hydrothermal vents and methane seeps occur immediately adjacent to one another. The discovery is significant not only for geology but also provides new insights into the development of deep-sea communities. The study describing the discovery is published today in the journal Scientific Reports.