As we know half of the ocean remains undiscovered. It is uncertain when or if the ocean will ever be fully discovered. The ocean covers approximately 70% of the earth’s surface, therefore it’s nearly impossible to be discovered entirely.
You may wonder why the ocean hasn’t been fully discovered and some deem it entirely impossible, but is it truly impossible? Over time, we have become more efficient with our technology. We are now more advanced than we have been in years, utilizing a variety of drones and submersible vehicles. Since the launch of the HOV (Human Occupied Vehicle) Alvin submersible in 1964, Over 5,100 dives into the ocean have been completed. This specific submersible carries up to two scientists and the pilot. It averages up to 6,500 meters and can last 30 days without having to be repaired. It has been known to be very reliable and collect the data needed. As time progresses, the technology we use today will continue to improve, which will eventually give more scientists the ability to create more devices for the future.
Although researchers believe that the ocean cannot be fully explored by humans alone, using technology for the deep dive process increases the chances for more to be explored. Only 5% of the ocean has already been explored, leaving 95% unexplored, according to NOAA.org, a national ocean exploration organization. Deep waters present challenges such as cold temperatures, immense pressure, and limited visibility. Scuba divers refer to conditions with little to no visibility, normally below one hundred meters (about 330 feet), as “zero visibility.” Some may not realize that zero visibility is caused by the accumulation of sand and silt on the seafloor, which gets stirred up and scattered, disrupting the ocean.
For many years people have begun to wonder if we are truly the only ones to live on the planet. Recently, numerous claims around the world have been made regarding sightings of UFOs or other objects across the sky. We know that there are tons of species still undiscovered in the ocean although scientists discover around 2,000 new species in the ocean every year. According to Ocean Conservancy.org in less than a month, there were around 100 new species that marine biologists documented. Scientists have said that the ocean would be impractical to discover fully due to its wide range of approximately 139 million square miles.
Countless remember the Titanic Submersible that imploded in June 2023 while descending to the seafloor to see the wreckage of the Titanic. It carried five passengers and was supposed to last around ten hours round trip to see the debris. Many celebrities paid $250,000 a ticket to view the shipwreck. But little did they know, they would not be coming back to the surface. Numerous investigations have been conducted, but still to this day, medical examiners do not know if what they found was human remains or if it was even from the submersible. While families continue to mourn the deaths of their loved ones from this tragedy, lawsuits are still being handed to the company of the submersible.
Therefore, scientists hope that these events will help them in their research to find a safer and more efficient way to make more discoveries in the future. In hopes that one day more people will be interested in learning about how the ocean works and be willing to make an effort to save our sea from harsh materials. We have the opportunity to make a change if we can fully understand how important the ocean truly is.
