The ocean covers about 70% of our planet’s surface, making it the largest and most expansive habitat on Earth. It is a vast and mysterious world, teeming with life in ways that still baffle scientists. With a surface area of roughly 360 million square kilometers (139 million square miles), and an average depth of about 3,682 meters (12,080 feet), the ocean represents an unknown frontier—one that continues to fuel scientific curiosity.
Despite its enormous importance and the wealth of life that resides within it, the ocean remains largely unexplored. For all its significance in our daily lives and the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystems, we’ve only just begun to uncover its many secrets.
How Much of the Ocean’s Seafloor Has Been Mapped?
To understand the ocean’s mysteries, scientists first need to map its vast depths. Seafloor mapping is a crucial part of this exploration, as it provides insight into what lies beneath the surface and guides future exploration efforts. Using sophisticated technology, including multibeam sonar systems mounted on ships, researchers can gain a clearer view of the ocean floor.
As of mid-2024, about 26.1% of the global seafloor has been mapped with high-resolution technology. This number is impressive but still leaves much to be explored. In the U.S., for example, 54% of its seafloor has been mapped to these modern standards. But considering that the size of the U.S. seafloor area is greater than the land area of all 50 states combined, it’s clear that there’s still a lot left to uncover.
Satellite data has mapped the entire seafloor, but these maps provide only a broad overview. While they offer valuable insights into the location of major geographical features such as mountains, valleys, and seamounts, they lack the finer details, leaving some features and even shipwrecks hidden.
What About the Ocean’s Species?
While we’ve made great strides in mapping the seafloor, we know even less about the species that inhabit the ocean. The ocean is believed to be home to between 700,000 and 1 million species, mostly animals, excluding the millions of microorganisms that also call it home. Two-thirds of these species, if not more, have yet to be discovered. And each year, nearly 2,000 new species are formally described by scientists.
The challenge of understanding the full range of species is compounded by the ocean’s complex ecosystems. Seafloor maps can provide insight into potential habitats, but they can’t identify the species or shed light on the intricate ways these species interact with one another and their environments. In this respect, the ocean is still an unexplored frontier—each discovery adding another layer to the story of life on Earth.
How Much of the Ocean Has Truly Been Explored?
Measuring how much of the ocean has been truly explored—encompassing both the seafloor and the water column—is a much more difficult task. While mapping the seafloor and counting the species that have been discovered is a tangible goal, fully exploring the ocean, with its constantly changing conditions, is something that may never be completely achievable.
We continue to make significant progress every year, discovering new features, ancient artifacts, and species that were previously unknown to us. Some of these discoveries even hold the potential to improve our future, whether by revealing new resources or offering clues to our planet’s past.
The Ocean’s Future: Endless Exploration
The truth is, exploring the ocean is a never-ending journey. As Earth’s ecosystems evolve and change, so too does the ocean, which remains critical to maintaining the health of the planet. The ocean regulates our climate, provides resources, and supports an incredible diversity of life.
While it’s impossible to fully explore every corner of this vast, dynamic world, the progress we’ve made so far is promising. As technology advances, we will undoubtedly uncover more secrets of the ocean, enriching our understanding of this vital component of life on Earth.
For now, the ocean continues to hold its mysteries, waiting for the next discovery. So, while the journey may be long, one thing is certain: there’s still so much more to learn about the oceans, their creatures, and their importance to our planet.
