Creatures of the Heights and Depths

Far above the vegetation line in the Andes Mountains, where oxygen levels are very low, a team of researchers discovered several species of small rodents thriving in the extreme environment. And below the surface of the western Pacific Ocean, scientists discovered a species of snailfish living five miles (about 8,330 m) deep in a marine trench. Most scientists agree that the greatest survivable depth for fish is 8,400 meters, making this snailfish species the new record-holder.

Our world and its environments were affected by the fall and altered by the catastrophic forces of the global flood. But the ability of animals to survive and thrive in this fallen, disfigured world shows how masterfully God has equipped his creatures to adapt to even the highest highs and the lowest lows.

This article is from Answers magazine, January–March, 2024, p. 21.