The colossal squid is the world's largest invertebrate. It can grow to 14m (46 ft) and weigh over 500 kg (~1,000 lbs). Scientists don't know very much about them, because they are elusive and live at depths below 1,000 m (3,200 feet) in the waters around Antarctica. Only a few specimens have ever been observed by scientists, usually as bycatch in deep-sea fisheries. We asked marine scientist Nathan Robinson to design his dream mission using all the capabilities of our ship the #OceanXplorer. His

Sperm whales get these dramatic scars during brutal deep-sea battles with giant and colossal squid. When a whale dives thousands of feet into pitch-black water, it hunts almost entirely by echolocation, locking onto massive squid hiding in the depths. As the whale attacks, the squid fights back, wrapping its powerful tentacles—lined with sharp, toothed suckers—around the whale’s face and head. Those suckers leave long white rake marks and circular scars that can last a lifetime. The deeper and m