Deep-sea expedition discovers "yellow brick road" near Hawaiian Islands VIDEO

An unexpected discovery beneath the Pacific Ocean's surface has left the researchers and viewers alike stunned—an ancient, dried-up lake bed with what appears to be a "yellow brick road". 

In 2022, an expedition to a deep-sea ridge north of the Hawaiian Islands uncovered a surprising find: an ancient, dried-up lake bed with what appeared to be a yellow brick road, according to a scientific news website.

The formation was discovered by the exploration vessel Nautilus while surveying the Liliʻuokalani ridge in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM), one of the world’s largest marine conservation areas. The monument spans a region larger than all US national parks combined, but only about 3 per cent of its seafloor has been explored.

The team from the Ocean Exploration Trust is working to uncover the secrets of this uncharted wilderness, located more than 3,000 meters below the ocean’s surface. The best part? The exploration is broadcast live, allowing anyone to watch the discoveries unfold in real-time.

A highlight reel of the 2022 expedition, released on YouTube, shows the moment when researchers controlling the deep-sea vehicle discovered the strange “yellow brick road.”

"It’s the road to Atlantis," one researcher exclaims.

"The yellow brick road?" another voice responds.

"This is bizarre," says another team member. "Are you kidding me? This is crazy."

Located atop the Nootka seamount, the lake bed appears unusually dry despite being nearly a thousand meters underwater. The team remarks that the surface looks like "baked crust," with some sections that could easily peel away. In one small area, the volcanic rock has cracked in a way that resembles bricks.

A caption on the YouTube video explains that the fractures are likely caused by heating and cooling stress from multiple volcanic eruptions.

While it might seem like a path to a fantastical world, this discovery offers an exciting look at Earth’s hidden geology and could provide new insights into the planet’s ancient and unexplored past.

By Naila Huseynova