7 ocean mysteries scientists haven’t solved yet

Plunge into the depths of the unknown as we explore seven of the most intriguing ocean mysteries that continue to baffle scientists. From unexplained phenomena to elusive marine creatures, these enigmas of the deep sea remain unsolved, sparking curiosity and wonder.

The Earth is mainly a water world – more than 70% of its surface is covered by oceans – and yet we know so little about what resides beneath the waves.

On Unexplainable

• Vox’s podcast about big mysteries and all things we learn by investigating the unknown – we’ve been talking to scientists who have gone on journeys to understand this watery realm, and uncovered many ocean mysteries.

Can we drill through the seafloor, to the mantle of the Earth?

Scientists’ curiosity doesn’t stop at the bottom of the sea. They’re also interested in what lies beneath it.

• 60 years ago, geologists tried to drill down through the seabed to pull up a piece of Earth’s mantle, a deep layer of the crust no human has directly observed.
• Their mission didn’t go exactly as planned, but it sowed the seeds for a new field of science that has helped rewrite not only the history of the planet but also our definitions of life itself.

Where is plastic pollution in the ocean hiding, and how does it get there?

Ninety-nine percent of all the plastic in our oceans is missing, and researchers want to know where it is going

• What harm is this plastic causing to marine life, and can it be undone?

Why do so many sea creatures glow?

Deep in the ocean, divers find other-worldly displays of bioluminescence, sparkling like fireworks in the dark.

• Almost every deep-water creature lights up in some way. Scientists have spent decades trying to figure out the cause of this.

Why do whales strand themselves on beaches? And are humans to blame?

While we know that humans are affecting the ocean environment, it can be hard to parse how those effects impact individual species.

• How do you protect animals when you’re not sure exactly how you’re harming them
• Darlene Ketten, a Woods Hole researcher, conducts forensic investigations into whale deaths

What’s down there?

Only 20% of the seafloor has been mapped, making it a more mysterious place than the surface of the moon or Mars

• Every time an explorer goes down to the bottom, they are potentially seeing things no human has ever laid eyes on before

Can a human really be friends with an octopus?

The Unexplainable episode on octopuses drops on Wednesday, April 27th, 2019

• Ferris Jabr explains how the relationship could be the closest we can come to an alien contact moment
• If we can connect with one animal, what else?

How many fish live in the “twilight zone”?

As you dive deeper into the ocean, less and less sunlight shines through.

• About 200 meters beneath the surface, you reach an area called the mesopelagic, or the “Twilight Zone.”
• Sunlight fades almost completely out of view, and our knowledge about these dark depths fades too.
• Yet this region of the ocean is extremely important.

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