Humans, as a race have progressed far beyond any other and have continued to stand tall in the face of adversity and challenge. We have achieved a myriad of scientific and technological breakthroughs, many of which have left us questioning the universe as we know it. Our unquenchable thirst for knowledge has driven us to leave no stone unturned and no place untouched. We have explored the highest mountains, journeyed across the skies, and have even reached the moon!

It almost seems as though we have traveled everywhere; that is, save for one. We have yet to explore the deepest trenches of our oceans; a treasure trove of unique findings that lay just barely out of our grasp. Now, you must be wondering, “If we are so technologically advanced, then why are we struggling so much?” That is because we have yet to discover an environmen that exerts as much pressure on the objects within it as the ocean.Hypothetically speaking, if a diver were to reach the bottom of the ocean, he would be crushed into paste likened to that of toothpaste!

But despite this, life flourishes under the enormous pressure of the ocean. Scientists have confirmed that an astonishing 300,000,000 undiscovered species dwell in the deep sea! This zone is dominated by carnivores as the absence of light inhibits the growth of plants, proving the sheer difficulty of surviving in such a harsh environment. You must be wondering how they do it. It is all thanks to the absence of lungs in their bodies. Fish peacefully thrive in the deep sea as they don’t have lungs or air pockets in their bodies to get compressed under the immense pressure of the ocean. Aquatic mammals such as dolphins, whales, etc. simply compress their lungs as they descend into the dusky trenches of the ocean to escape the otherwise deadly pressure.

The absence of light in the abyssal zone has resulted in some of the most chilling and unsettling animals. The animals in this zone are characterized by their oddly misshapen eyes, large mouths lined with razor-sharp teeth, and almost alien-like feelers.Immobile species such as seas sponges are no strangers to the somber depths. Surprisingly, they comprise a large percentage of the ecosystem in the deep sea, as they congregate together to form complex reefs which house a plethora of other organisms. These water-filtering animals are thought to be of the oldest alive, some even dating back to over 600 million years ago. The juxtaposition of the amount of research done on organisms in shallow waters versus those in the deep sea is jarring, due to their inaccessibility.

Even today, only 5% of the ocean is said to have been thoroughly explored by scientists; therefore proving that many discoveries have yet to be made. An arduous ordeal, no doubt. However, human nature has always been curious, almost insatiable. It won’t be before too long that we overcome this obstacle and discover the untold secrets of the mysterious depths.

By Meghana D.
10th C
DPS. Nadergul