Sponges are some of the simplest and least dangerous animals on Earth, but a new species seems to be shooting for a cooler reputation.

A carnivorous "death-ball" sponge is among 30 new creatures found in the deep sea near Antarctica earlier this year by the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census.

The new species has been placed in the genus Chondrocladia , known as the ping pong ball sponges. It's easy to see why at a glance: These creatures look like a bunch of bubbles stuck together on sticks.

But even that benign appearance is hiding their true nature. These sponges are covered in tiny hooks that capture small prey, likely crustaceans, that swim past. At least they don't feast on fossils , like other recently discovered sponges.

Launched in 2023, the Nippon Foundation–Nekto

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