In the dark ocean, these tiny creatures can smell their way home.

A new study suggests that tiny crustaceans called mysids are able to use their sense of smell to find their way back to the deep underwater caves they call home. The researchers collected mysids from two underwater caves off the southern coast of France and conducted experiments in the lab. They found that the mysids sought out and preferred to spend time in water taken from their home cave, indicating that they can recognize the chemical signature of their home. The researchers hypothesize that compounds released by sponges that live in the caves are playing a role in guiding the mysids. However, the study also highlights the potential threats to the mysids' ability to find their way home, such as marine pollution and the disappearance of sponge species from the caves. [Extracted from the article]