The Risks and Rewards of Exploring the Ocean's Depths
The vast majority of the ocean's depths remain unexplored, with only about 20% of the seafloor mapped. Deep-sea exploration is risky due to the high levels of pressure, darkness, and extreme cold temperatures. While there have been efforts to explore the ocean's depths, including the recent loss of a submersible vehicle carrying tourists to the wreckage of the RMS Titanic, advances in technology such as deep-sea robots and high-resolution underwater imaging may make human exploration unnecessary. Mapping the ocean is important for understanding ocean currents, marine life, and seismic hazards, and the ocean's compounds have led to several biomedical breakthroughs.