The Abyss Box is a vessel containing of water at the very high pressure of 18 megapascals to simulate the natural underwater environment of bathyal fauna living at about below the surface.[1] It is on display at Oceanopolis aquarium in Brest, France.[2] It was designed by French researcher Bruce Shillito from Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris.[3]
All the equipment maintaining the extreme pressure inside the Abyss Box weighs . The device keeps deep-dwelling creatures alive so they can be studied, especially regarding their adaptability to warmer ocean temperatures. Currently the Abyss Box houses only common species of deep sea creatures including a deep sea crab, Bythograea thermydron and a deep sea prawn, Pandalus borealis, which are some of the hardier species with a higher survival rate in depressurized environments.[4] The fauna on display were collected by Victor 6000, a specialised remotely operated vehicle (ROV).[5]