Scientists Discover Mysterious ‘Yellow Brick Road’ Deep Under the Ocean

Scientists have discovered a mysterious formation resembling a “yellow brick road” deep beneath the Pacific Ocean during a 2022 expedition north of the Hawaiian Islands.

The unusual feature was identified by researchers aboard the exploration vessel Nautilus while surveying the Liliʻuokalani Ridge in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM).

The vast marine monument is one of the largest protected ocean areas in the world, covering more space than all US national parks combined. Despite its size, only about 3 percent of its seafloor has been explored.

The research team, led by the Ocean Exploration Trust, was operating a remotely operated vehicle more than 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) below the ocean surface when they encountered the formation. Footage released in April 2022 captured the team’s reaction.

Researchers expressed surprise during the live observation, describing the feature as unusual and visually striking. Some compared it to a “road to Atlantis” and noted its resemblance to a “yellow brick road,” while others remarked on how unexpected and unusual the formation appeared.

The structure was found on the summit of the Nootka seamount. Despite being located beneath roughly 1,000 meters of water, the lakebed appeared unusually dry.

Scientists later explained that the formation is not man-made but a fractured flow of hyaloclastite, a volcanic rock formed during high-energy eruptions when fragments settle on the seafloor.

Researchers described the surface as resembling a “baked crust” that could be peeled away. In one section, the rock fractured into patterns that closely resemble bricks, creating the illusion of a paved road.

According to the team, the distinct 90-degree cracks likely formed due to repeated heating and cooling during multiple volcanic eruptions.

The discovery highlights how much of Earth’s ocean floor remains unexplored.