World of Wonder: Deep in the Sea

Deep in the Sea

On Fridays we feature amazing discoveries and facts, because, yes, the world is full of wonders that are real and natural-occurring (without divine or supernatural intervention).

This week we are going deep down.

Space suits, ships, satellites, and telescopes are great for exploring space. But the ocean is more difficult to get into. It’s even called “The Final Frontier” because it hasn’t been explored as much as earth and space.

One of the main issues with exploring deep is visibility. This a typical view from a subsea robot (pretty boring, eh?):

Source: MBARI – Ridges 2005 Expedition

Exploring deep in the ocean is also expensive: “A simple seafloor survey to run a 100 mile pipeline costs a cool $50 million” (Carlyle).

Also, one of the main reasons for exploring space is to discover intelligent life out there or see if we could live in another planet. That is not possible in the sea: “The pressures are too great, and no engineering or materials conceivable today would allow us to build livable-sized spaces on the deep sea floor” (Carlyle).

But, technology does advance to get us in deeper and for longer.

The Census of Marine Life is made up of more than 2,500 scientists from all over the world who took on the challenge of exploring deep, and in the last two decades or so have discovered thousands of previously unknown species, making us more excited about marine life.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has an office for ocean exploration and research funded by the government. They have done several expeditions, including the Gulf of Mexico, Cayman Islands, Indonesia, and even Galapagos Island.

It seems like scientists and the government are pushing forward with their explorations of the deep seas, much to the delight and wonder of the public.

To Read More:

•  8 Bizarre Newly Discovered Deep Sea Creatures: Mother Nature Network.
• Up-to-date collection of new discoveries: Ocean Portal.
• Stunning images of deep sea creatures off the coast of Puerto Rico (VIDEO): Quartz on YouTube.