The ocean is one well-known part of the world that we still have much to learn about. In fact, there’s more unknown than known. About 71 percent of the Earth is made up of water, and the majority of that 71 percent is deep, dark, and mysterious. Read on to learn more about the scariest parts of the ocean you didn’t know about.
It’s Full of Pollution
One of the scariest things about the ocean is a result of human behavior that needs to change. As of 2021, there are almost 363 billion pounds of plastic pollution in the ocean. Even more frightening is that these plastics have even made their way to around 36,000 feet deep in the Mariana Trench. You probably knew about these plastics but maybe not the extent to which they contaminate the ocean.
Much of this isn’t plastic bottles either—it’s microplastics, which sea creatures are eating. When we eat seafood, we’re therefore eating those microplastics too. While the ocean may be full of scary and unknown creatures, the scariest part of the ocean may be what we’re putting into it.
It’s Largely Unmapped
One of the scariest parts about the ocean is that, even with all the new technological breakthroughs of the last 50 or so years, it is still largely unmapped. Estimates show we’ve mapped about five percent of the ocean. Much of the equipment we use can only measure so deep, while the ocean goes much, much deeper. Thankfully, new technology is changing that.
Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology is a new way lasers are being used in research applications. This technology can remotely sense and measure how far away different ocean features are, effectively mapping parts of the ocean’s surface in a way that previous technology could not. It won’t provide the most comprehensive map of the ocean, but it can highlight potential areas for deep-sea expeditions to uncover what lies at the bottom.
There Are Dead Bodies
For as long as people have been building tools, they’ve been building boats and fishing. Many voyages have survived the harsh ocean, but many others never found their way back. It’s been happening for thousands of years, meaning there are thousands of bodies lost to the sea. The ocean is beautiful, but underneath the surface is a graveyard.
The ocean is quite scary, and when you know about these things, it can be frightening to go to the beach and dip your toes in the water. Thankfully, many of these scary elements are far off in the dark depths. The water around beaches and the creatures inhabiting those spaces are widely known and not as dangerous as movies and social media pretend.
