To the Depths

A Dumbo Octopus,Grimpoteuthis, traverses the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. They are found between 9,800 and 13,000 feet

Photo Credit: NOAA Okeanos Explorer, 2014 (photo taken in Gulf of Mexico)

The deepest part of the ocean, the Challenger Deep, located in the Mariana Trench near Guam in the Pacific ocean measures almost 11,000 meters (36,100 feet) deep. If you think about it, you could sink the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest (8,848 meters), into the Mariana Trench and still have a little extra room for Panama’s highest peak, Volcan Barú (3,474 meters) though it would peak out just a little. That’s bananas. No wonder we know so little about the ocean. According to NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, only 5% of the world’s oceans have been explored. Considering that earth is approximately 70% water, and we know little to nothing about the ocean and its deepest darkest reaches, I thought I’d share this cool article that discusses what it sound like at 10,971 meters below sea level. Who knew?