How much of the sea is discovered

Depending on who you ask, there exists not one—but two—final frontiers of discovery. Deep space has long captivated our imaginations, but the deep ocean, right here on Earth, remains one of the most underexplored places known to humans.

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Why Has So Little of the Ocean Been Explored?
How much of the ocean has been discovered 2022?
How much of the sea is undiscovered?
Why is 95 of the ocean unexplored?

Only five percent of the seafloor has been topographically imaged, which leaves 65 percent of the entire planet (not counting land masses) relatively unknown. Yet, since the dawn of space exploration, NASA has thoroughly mapped Mercury, the dwarf planet Ceres, almost all of Venus, and even the Red Planet, some 140 million miles away. And don't forget the stunningly detailed satellite images of the Moon's every nook and cranny.

""ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) are very useful in the exploration of the deep ocean floor without the need to send divers who might be subject to risk. ROVs rely on ocean currents to carry them along.

Humberto Ramirez/Getty Images

First, there's a lot more to the ocean than meets the eye. We've always been able to explore the ocean's surface. But we've only just started looking into the ocean depths and sea floors within the past few decades. Satellites have helped us chart the ocean's surface temperatures, waters and colors (which can indicate plant life). More advanced technology is needed to dig deeper, so to speak. Submarines and sonars have helped with that.

But when you reach the deep ocean about 650 feet (200 meters) or more below the water's surface, you leave the so-called "sunlight zone" and enter complete darkness. At these great depths, you lose all visibility. It's also extremely cold and the pressure is body-crushing.

For perspective, at sea level, the pressure on your body is about 15 pounds per square inch (103.42 kilopascals). If you float above Earth's atmosphere into space, your body pressure decreases to zero. But if you drop deep into the ocean's depths, that pressure increases the deeper you go. If you were to go to the bottom of the Mariana Trench — the deepest part of the ocean, about 7 miles (11.2 kilometers) deep — you would feel about 1,000 times more pressure than what you would feel on the surface or the equivalent of about 50 jumbo jets pressing down on your body.

As you can see, deep sea exploration is tough. But there is still hope to learn more. Agencies such as the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are leading efforts in ocean exploration by supporting expeditions to investigate and document unknown and little-known regions.

It's difficult to protect our ocean if we know so little about it. And there are countless reasons why we should protect it. The ocean produces more than half of the world's oxygen. It also helps regulate weather patterns, provides food and medicine and bolsters trade among nations around the globe.

Now That's Sad

Earth's oceans are facing some serious issues. One of the biggest threats is pollution from oil spills, litter and improper dumping by manufacturing plants. In fact, during an expedition to the Emden Deep in the Philippine Trench in 2019 — the third deepest part of the ocean — explorers were shocked to find a pile of trash in the literal bowels of the sea.

How much of the ocean has been discovered 2022?

Big vessels, carrying robust robotic explorers and sometimes submersibles piloted by humans, embark on deep sea expeditions each year. This lightless realm remains a largely mysterious place, and just around 25 percent of the seafloor is decently mapped.

How much of the sea is undiscovered?

More than 80 percent of the ocean has never been mapped, explored, or even seen by humans. A far greater percentage of the surfaces of the moon and the planet Mars has been mapped and studied than of our own ocean floor. Although there is much more to learn, oceanographers have already made some amazing discoveries.

Why is 95 of the ocean unexplored?

One of the biggest challenges of ocean exploration comes down to physics. Dr. Gene Carl Feldman, an oceanographer at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, explains that the ocean, at great depths, is characterized by zero visibility, extremely cold temperatures, and crushing amounts of pressure.