The deep ocean remains one of Earth’s last great frontiers. Covering around 66% of the planet’s surface below 200 metres, much of it has never been surveyed in detail. At the current pace of discovery, a complete visual record of the seafloor could take around five million years. This vast, hidden realm plays a vital role in regulating the climate, storing heat, absorbing carbon dioxide and supporting the processes that make life on Earth possible. Every expedition into the deep continues to reveal extraordinary new discoveries. In the past year alone, scientists identified more than 1,100 new marine species, including ghost sharks, ping-pong sponges and an unusual jelly-like organism so unfamiliar it has yet to be placed within any major animal group. Researchers are also studying hydrothermal vents, where life survives using chemical energy rather than sunlight, providing valuable clues about the origins of life on Earth. However, growing interest in deep-sea mining threatens these fragile ecosystems before they have been fully explored, highlighting the importance of protecting one of the planet’s least understood and most remarkable environments.
Read more about the fascinating world of the deep sea on The Guardian.