Nazi Missiles Now Nurture Starfish, Study Finds

Decades after they rained terror on London and Antwerp, Nazi V-1 flying bombs are playing an unexpected new role: serving as underwater nurseries for starfish, anemones, and other marine life. A groundbreaking new study reveals that the toxic munitions dumped in the Baltic and North Seas after World War II have become unlikely sanctuaries for sea creatures—turning instruments of war into accidental ecosystems.

V-1 Missiles: From War Machines to Wildlife Havens

The V-1 missiles, Germany’s first cruise missiles and part of Hitler’s so-called “wonder weapons,” once carried 1,800 pounds of TNT and struck fear into Allied cities during the final years of World War II. After the war, Allied forces disposed of an estimated 1.6 million tons of German munitions by dumping them into the North and Baltic Seas. There they’ve sat for nearly 80 years—corroding, leaking, and quietly transforming.

Now, researchers from Germany’s GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research have documented how these sunken weapons are being colonized by marine organisms. Published in Communications Earth & Environment, the study is the first to systematically analyze biodiversity on submerged wartime ordnance.

Nature’s Resilience in the Face of Toxicity

“It’s absolutely insane,” said Dr. Jens Greinert, a deep-sea researcher and co-author of the study. “It’s 80 years since the war ended, yet nature is already making use of these deadly relics.”

Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), the team surveyed dozens of V-1 missile sites off the coasts of Germany and Denmark. They found dense clusters of brittle stars, sea urchins, soft corals, and even juvenile fish clinging to the rusted metal surfaces—despite the presence of leaching explosives like TNT and chemical warfare agents.

This phenomenon echoes other post-human landscapes where wildlife thrives amid devastation: the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Korea’s Demilitarized Zone, and now, Europe’s underwater war graveyards.

The Paradox of Poisonous Reefs

While the colonization is remarkable, it’s not without risk. Many of the munitions still contain live explosives, and their casings are deteriorating. As seawater corrodes the metal, toxic compounds seep into the surrounding environment—a slow-motion ecological time bomb.

“These sites are both refuge and hazard,” explains marine ecologist Dr. Lena Vogt, who was not involved in the study. “Organisms may be adapting, but we don’t yet understand the long-term effects of chronic exposure to explosive residues.”

Why Marine Life Chooses War Relics

In the otherwise flat, sandy seabed of the Baltic, a sunken V-1 missile acts like an artificial reef—providing hard substrate, shelter from currents, and a vantage point for filter feeders. For species that need structure to survive, even a bomb is better than nothing.

Hard surface: Essential for sessile organisms like anemones and mussels.
Elevation: Lifts creatures above sediment, improving access to food and oxygen.
Isolation: Many dump sites are avoided by trawlers, creating de facto marine protected zones.

Feature	V-1 Missile as Habitat
Surface Area	~8–10 m² of colonizable metal
Common Species Observed	Brittle stars, sea anemones, polychaete worms, juvenile cod
Environmental Risk	Leaching TNT, RDX, and chemical agents
Depth Range	20–60 meters

A Moral and Scientific Dilemma

The discovery presents a complex challenge: Should these toxic relics be removed to protect marine ecosystems—or left in place to preserve the life they now support?

Removal is dangerous and expensive. Disturbing the munitions could trigger explosions or release concentrated toxins. Yet leaving them risks long-term contamination of fisheries and food chains.

“We’re not just dealing with history,” says Dr. Greinert. “We’re managing an ongoing environmental legacy.”

What Comes Next?

Researchers are now pushing for long-term monitoring programs and the development of non-invasive cleanup technologies. In the meantime, the V-1 missiles remain haunting monuments to human conflict—and surprising testaments to nature’s stubborn will to thrive.

As one scientist put it: “War ends. But life? Life finds a way—even on a bomb.”