Deep Sea Exploration

The deep sea is the darkest and coldest part of the ocean. It is so deep that sunlight cannot reach the bottom. People use strong submarines and robots to explore this hidden world. Scientists want to learn about the strange animals and rocks that live far below the waves.

Going Down Deep

The deep sea starts about 650 feet below the surface. At that depth, the water is very dark and cold. The weight of the water pushes down very hard. Normal boats and divers cannot go there. Scientists use small subs called submersibles. These subs have thick metal walls to keep people safe. Some subs can dive more than six miles deep!

An old machine used to measure how deep the ocean is.
An old machine used to measure how deep the ocean is. (Zera Luther Tanner / Wikimedia Commons)

Amazing Animals

Many strange creatures live in the deep sea. Some fish make their own light to find food. This is called bioluminescence. Giant squid, blobfish, and anglerfish live down there too. Scientists keep finding new animals on every trip. The deep sea may have millions of species we have never seen before.

Fun Facts

  • The deepest spot in the ocean is called the Mariana Trench, and it is almost seven miles deep.
  • More people have walked on the Moon than have been to the deepest part of the ocean.
  • Some deep sea animals can live near hot vents that shoot out boiling water from the sea floor.

Did You Know?

We have mapped more of the Moon and Mars than we have mapped the bottom of our own ocean!