Scientists reveal just how little of the deep ocean we've explored

Scientists reveal just how little of the deep ocean we've explored

Despite the deep ocean floor coating some 66% of our planet's surface, we haven't explored 99.999% of it, study finds.

Since mankind's adventure on the oceans, their vastness and their mysteries defy the researchers. If the shores and shallow waters have gradually delivered their secrets, the exploration of the abyss remains one of the most formidable scientific challenges. Under more than a thousand meters of water, in a world where light disappears and pressure crushes any attempt to intrude, human technologies still struggle to penetrate the depths. Despite d…

One study shows that to this day only a very small fraction of the ocean floor has been visually recorded. Although it covers two thirds of the planet’s surface, the deep seabed remains an unknown territory. The study published in Science Advances points out that less than 0.001% of this [...]

Despite its vital role for the planet, less than 0.001 % of the seabed has been directly observed. This small proportion, comparable to 2.5 times the size of the city of Paris, is...