Hooray! The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Has Become a Thriving Ecosystem, Scientists Say

As he approached the edge of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, elite distance swimmer Ben Lecomte began to find a lot of life.

Many of Lecomte's findings were captured and examined by researchers from multiple universities around the world in a yet-to-be-peer-reviewed paper published Friday, and co-author Rebecca Helm of the University of North Carolina posted a lengthy thread explaining the study. Photos and video of the wriggly, translucent creatures that call the patch home were included.

Blue sea dragons wear armor made from man-o-war enemies they have killed.

The blue sea dragons eat man-o-war and steal their stinging cells. Helm said on Friday that they were covering their bodies in armor made from their weapons.

Their predators, the blue sea dragons, who eat man-o-war and steal their stinging cells. Covering their bodies in an armor made from the weapons of their vanquished prey…pic.twitter.com/zeLKnBsqz1

— Open Ocean Exploration (@RebeccaRHelm) April 29, 2022

Helm said that cleaning the patch with nets and plastic isn't a good idea given the number of fish and animals living in it. She says we should stop plastic pollution at the source so the patch doesn't get any bigger.

While cleaning up plastic that's causing the microplastics found in nearly every part of the human body and even newborns, dipping nets into the water to catch garbage also removes the animals living there, a problem Helm highlighted by sharing a 2019.

The Ocean Cleanup was accused of staging plastic collection photos and drawing skepticism for the same reason as a more recent 2021 attempt.

The garbage patches of the world could soon become tiny versions of the Galapagos Islands, home to species who have evolved to live in a unique environment over time.

Let's hope that animals farther up the food chain are able to adapt.

The world is running out of sand.