Did you know that most of the Earth’s water is still undiscovered? Scientists believe that up to 80% of the world’s water is still hidden below ground or in the oceans. While only around 5% remains untouched, underwater there’s a different story.
Why is so much of the underwater world still unmapped? Well, it’s a big place – 71% of the Earth is covered in water. And it’s deep; according to some estimates, the average depth of the ocean is nearly 4km. Therefore, mapping the ocean floor is a huge challenge.
So far, it’s thought that we’ve only mapped around 5% of the ocean floor. Of that 5%, 95% is at a depth of 1km or lower. In other words, we have a pretty good idea of where the shallow water is, but we know very little about what’s going on in the deep.
There are several reasons why mapping the deep ocean is difficult. Firstly, it’s very dark down there – sunlight only penetrates to a depth of around 200m. This makes it hard to see what’s going on and it means that specialist equipment is needed to explore the deep ocean.
Another problem is that the deep ocean is very cold – the average temperature is around 4°C. This makes it very hostile to humans and we can only stay down there for short periods.
Furthermore, the water pressure is enormous. At a depth of 1km, the water pressure is around 100 times greater than at sea level. As you can imagine, this makes it very difficult to explore the deep ocean and collect samples from it. With all these challenges combined, it’s not surprising that we don’t know a great deal about what goes on in the deep ocean.
While Scuba Diving in Fujairah is a great way to explore the shallower parts of the ocean, it’s not possible to go any deeper than around 30m without specialised equipment. Sadly, although you will have an amazing experience, you’re not likely to discover any new species of underwater creatures or reach the unchartered territory.
Despite these difficulties, oceanographers and researchers have made some incredible discoveries in the deep ocean. In fact, we now know that the deep ocean is teeming with life. There are an estimated 10 million species living in the deep sea, which is around 80% of all known marine species. For example, this includes bizarre-looking fish like anglerfish, viperfish, and blobfish.
Advancements in Deep-Sea Discovery
With technology becoming more advanced, we are now able to explore the deep ocean in ways that were once impossible. This has led to some incredible discoveries, such as hydrothermal vents and deep-sea coral.
Hydrothermal vents are fissures in the ocean floor that release hot water and minerals. These vents support a unique ecosystem that is completely different from anything else on Earth. Deep-sea corals are large colonies of corals that grow in the deep ocean; these corals provide vital habitats for many marine species.
Despite these advancements, there is still so much that we do not know about the ocean. However, this doesn’t mean that scuba diving is not a safe activity; in fact, it is relatively safe when compared to other activities (such as hiking or driving). The key is to be prepared and to educate yourself on the risks involved.
If you’re looking to start scuba diving, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, you will need to get certified; this process involves taking a class and passing a test to receive your certification card. Once you are certified, you will need to purchase some gear or join a team that has lots of professional equipment!
