Deep beneath the surface of Western Australia’s remote and marine life-rich Ningaloo coast, a legendary marine leviathan is lurking in the darkness.

During deep-sea research expeditions led by Curtin University in collaboration with the Schmidt Ocean Institute and the Western Australian Museum, scientists detected evidence of the ocean’s most mysterious creature: the giant squid ( Architeuthis dux ).

These deep-ocean titans are truly staggering in scale. Growing longer than a standard school bus—stretching between 30 and 40 feet—the giant squid can weigh up to 600 pounds.…