I love going to the beach just as much as the next person, and spend the whole day soaking up the sun while jumping into waves. However, I try to ignore everything below the surface — all the things that we cannot see in the depths of the ocean. The ocean is such a powerful force and I often think about how little we know about it.
It is extremely unsettling that the ocean covers over 70 percent of the Earth and yet according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) only around 20 percent of the global seafloor has been mapped out.
One of the biggest factors that prevent a deeper exploration is the pressure of the ocean. To go diving or send some technology down the ocean depths causes the air pressure to increase. Ocean exploring devices such as floats and drifters that rely on ocean currents to collect data have now become more advanced. It allows for a more in-person experience that allows for divers to occupy the vehicle that can help improve oceanic expeditions. Safety is of the utmost importance, so there is always more to learn and improve so that expeditions can be conducted in the best possible manner.
Another challenge that prevents some expeditions from happening is the money cost. These journeys are quite expensive and some expeditions cannot be funded due t9o the lack of detailed maps and data. There is only around five percent of the ocean that is detailed and mapped out, so funding other expeditions makes it hard to work in a place without much to go off of. It is quite ironic that agencies are unwilling to fund expeditions into the unknown because there is not enough information collected yet. It should be rather important to explore the uncharted areas of the ocean because how else are we going to find new species or habitats?
Thinking about ocean exploration is so interesting because I like to think about all the different theories of extinct animals that live in the depths of the ocean such as the megalodon. It is believed to be extinct for years, but many people believe that it could possibly exist because of how deep the ocean is. If we cannot fully explore it then how do they fully know for sure that those types of giant creatures do not exist anymore.
I like to watch the different National Geographic documentaries that visit little ecosystems in the ocean and explore the sea life there. It is always super interesting to see the way in which they use random items, essentially trash or old sunken ships, and turn them into new living ecosystems that have been created. Ocean exploration is both scary and so intriguing but nonetheless, I always like to see all the new discoveries that people find in the depths of the deep blue waters.
If you would like to check out more on ocean exploration check out these links below!
https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/ocean-exploration/