The ocean is scarier than you think: 10 chilling facts

Oceans are crucial for survival on Earth. They help control Earth’s weather, absorb enormous amounts of energy and CO2, produce oxygen we breathe, and host a myriad of creatures. However, even with all its significance, it is considered one of the most mysterious places on Earth, not thoroughly researched due to its daunting nature. Indeed, taking up almost 70% of our planet’s area, the oceanic environment consists of lands deeper than the tallest mountains, dark areas without the sun’s reach, and powers capable of changing shores in seconds.

What is truly scary about the ocean is that many of the threats are invisible. While the surface may appear tranquil, there may be underlying dangers such as strong currents, ocean trenches, oxygen-depleted areas, and unpredictable weather changes. Despite satellite technology, sonar mapping, and the use of robotic explorers, the deep sea is still largely unexplored by human beings. Here are some of the most horrifying facts about the ocean.

While the advent of satellite technology has allowed scientists to map large expanses of the seafloor, exploring the deep parts of the ocean has yet to be accomplished. There are many things that remain unknown to us such as previously undiscovered undersea volcanoes, canyons, vents, and other forms of aquatic life. Some of these places in the deep blue remain untouched even by any humans or cameras.

Mariana Trench is home to the deepest point on earth which is called Challenger Deep, lying 11 kilometers under the surface of the water. If the height of Mount Everest is lowered into this place, it will be submerged under the water level. The temperature is close to the freezing point while pressure is incredibly high.

The water is very heavy and pressure increases exponentially as it becomes deeper. Pressure in the deepest part of the ocean is more than 1,000 atmospheres, or the equivalent of having several thousand elephants pushing down a small area. Without protective measures, not only the human body but metal equipment would instantly get destroyed.

The sunlit top layer of the ocean is quite shallow. After reaching around 200 meters depth, there is very little sunlight, and past 1,000 meters, the ocean becomes permanently dark. Photosynthesis is not possible at this depth, and conditions are cool. Many animals rely on decaying matter that falls to them, hunting, and bioluminescence to survive. Most of the Earth’s oceans are of such depths.

The oceanic dead zones are those where there is insufficient oxygen, and hence, survival is hard for fish and other sea life. Such dead zones occur naturally; however, most of the time, they have been formed by fertilizer and sewage runoff causing algal blooms. As the algae die, decomposition uses up oxygen. Large ocean dead zones have been seen in places like the Gulf of Mexico.

Point Nemo is known as the oceanic pole of inaccessibility, the most remote location in the oceans, lying thousands of kilometers away from the closest populated regions. Due to its extremely inaccessible nature, Point Nemo has been chosen as a site for spacecraft burial where defunct satellites and space stations are made to crash.

Denmark Strait Cataract is an undersea waterfall that results from denser cold water falling into less dense warm water. This falling mass travels for several kilometers before coming to rest, which makes this waterfall bigger than any terrestrial one in the world. Though not visible, just like any other waterfall, it is quite powerful.

The SOFAR channel (sound fixing and ranging) is a layer within the ocean where sound waves can cover huge distances without energy loss due to pressure and temperature differences. Whale vocalizations, earthquakes, and even human-made noises can travel throughout whole ocean basins using this natural acoustic transmission medium. It played a crucial role in submarine detection during the Cold War period.

Deep-sea organisms employ bioluminescence, a natural process that creates light within their bodies via biochemical reactions. Anglerfish use glowing lures to lure prey, whereas squids, jellyfish, and shrimps emit light to trick predators or convey messages. Since there is no sunlight in the dark depths of the ocean, biological light becomes one of the most valuable survival tools.

The mid-ocean ridge system represents the world's largest mountain chain, located under the water surface. Tectonic plates diverge along this system and magma flows upwards to form a new oceanic floor. The majority of volcanic eruptions take place underwater, remaining unnoticed by the general public.