Thousands of metres beneath the Pacific Ocean, beyond the reach of sunlight, lies a mountain range almost no human has ever seen. Above sea level, people know the Pacific Islands by the beautiful mountains that we call ‘sleeping giants’, but few mention the sleeping giants that live beneath the deep sea.

Here, ancient coral forests cling to underwater volcanoes that have stood for millions of years. Glass sponges rise like intricate sculptures from the seabed. Octopuses, sea stars and creatures so unique they seem imagined have evolved in near-total darkness, many still unknown to science. Sharks, whales and seabirds navigate these underwater peaks as they migrate across the vast Pacific, drawn to ecosystems that have quietly sustained life long before humans ever set sail.

They are the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges. It is a chain of underwater mountains stretching almost 3,000 kilometres across the South East Pacific from mainland Chile in South America to the island of Rapa Nui, the easternmost tip of the Polynesian Triangle. These underwater mountains are far more than isolated geological features. They are thriving oases in the deep ocean. Their rugged slopes provide habitats for a mosaic of marine life while powerful currents deliver nutrients that support whole food webs.

Scientists now recognise the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges as one of the world’s most extraordinary biodiversity hotspots, where species found nowhere else on Earth flourish among seamounts that remain largely unexplored. Even today, scientific expeditions uncover life that has never before been documented, reminding us just how much of our own planet remains a mystery.

For those of us from the Pacific, this sense of wonder is deeply familiar. We have always understood that the ocean is not an empty expanse separating our islands. It is what connects us. It carries our stories, our food, our cultures and our future. It is a living system which we are a part of.

These ecosystems also perform vital functions that extend across the world. The deep ocean regulates the Earth’s climate, storing large amounts of carbon and helping to maintain the stability of the planetary systems upon which all life depends. And yet, despite their importance, we know remarkably little about them. That uncertainty should inspire humility. Instead, it is increasingly being met with industrial ambition and just as we are beginning to understand the essential role of places like the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges, pressure on them is growing.