Do We Know More About Space or the Ocean?

The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet — but we’ve only mapped a tiny fraction of it. In fact, experts estimate that more than 90% of the ocean floor hasn’t been explored by humans. That means we might know more about the surface of the moon than we do about what lies beneath the sea.

The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet — but we’ve only mapped a tiny fraction of it. In fact, experts estimate that more than 90% of the ocean floor hasn’t been explored by humans. That means we might know more about the surface of the moon than we do about what lies beneath the sea.

So why is the ocean so hard to study?

For one, the deep sea is incredibly dark and cold. Sunlight can’t reach much beyond a few hundred feet below the surface. Temperatures near the bottom can hover just above freezing, and pressure increases so much that few machines can survive the descent.

Unlike satellites that easily scan space, ocean exploration requires specialized submarines and underwater robots. And those tools are expensive and limited in how far they can go.

But curiosity is pushing science forward.

In recent years, researchers have discovered deep-sea volcanoes, glow-in-the-dark creatures, and entire ecosystems living around hydrothermal vents. Some scientists even believe we’ll find new medicines or species that challenge what we know about life itself.