In the secluded karst lakes of the Dinaric Alps, a rare encounter took place in spring 2025 when a diver captured a strikingly clear image of a Proteus anguinus, commonly known as the olm or "baby dragon." This cave-dwelling amphibian, native to the underground waters of Slovenia and parts of the western Balkans, has fascinated biologists for centuries due to its strange, timeless appearance and extreme adaptation to darkness.

With its elongated, eel-like body, underdeveloped eyes, and delicate, frond-like limbs used for sensing vibrations and chemicals in the water, the olm is perfectly evolved for life in lightless subterranean environments. Its translucent skin hints at a vestigial pigmentation, while its slowed metabolism allows it to live over 100 years—and survive for years without food.

A living relic of Earth’s primeval past, the olm appears almost mythical as it glides silently through the mineral-rich depths. How does such a gentle and ghostly creature thrive in such silence—and what other ancient secrets might the caves still hide?