by InTrieste
On Wednesday, July 30, the Adriatic Speleological Society will host a public event titled “Monsters and Aliens of the River of the Night” in the small locality of Milič, at Sagrado di Sgonico 2. The meeting will spotlight the latest research into the rare and little-known life forms inhabiting the subterranean Reka/Timavo River, a key feature of the classic Karst landscape near Trieste.
The initiative offers a rare glimpse into the hidden world of the underground Timavo, a river that disappears into the karstic limestone and flows for much of its course in complete darkness. In these lightless depths, life has evolved in remarkable and often bizarre ways.
Using advanced environmental DNA techniques alongside traditional biological surveys, researchers have been mapping the biodiversity of this unique ecosystem and assessing the health and distribution of its most emblematic resident — the olm (Proteus anguinus), a blind, cave-dwelling amphibian long considered a symbol of Europe’s subterranean fauna.
The studies have also revealed a surprising new guest: the freshwater jellyfish Craspedacusta sowerbii, a species native to China that has somehow found its way into the underground waters of the Karst. Its presence raises intriguing questions about ecological change, species migration, and the resilience of closed aquatic systems.
Scientists say the findings point not only to the resilience and fragility of subterranean ecosystems, but also to the importance of continued monitoring in the face of climate change and growing human impact.
The event is part of a broader effort to connect the public with the often-overlooked biodiversity beneath their feet — and to highlight the delicate balance that sustains life in some of Earth’s most inaccessible environments.
