Exploring The Oceans Is Only Just Beginning
It is only very recently that the deep sea has been found to contain such a wealth of life. Indeed, it was not too long ago that respected science considered it to be much like a desert. However, recent studies by those exploring the oceans have found in excess of seventeen and a half thousand species to live below six hundred and fifty six feet.
This depth is important, as it is the point at which sunlight stops. Even more amazing than this is the discovery of nearly six thousand species, living in the most extreme of depths; in waters which are deeper than three thousand feet.
The creatures living at such depths are truly remarkable, and often look like the stuff from which nightmares, (or Wes Craven’s mind) are made.
That they can survive at all is remarkable too; and only just starting to be understood by science. Recent research has shown that many marine species survive by feeding on the decaying matter that cascades from above. Indeed, a particular type of sea worm has been found to survive on the sunken carcasses of whales.
More amazing perhaps, is that many bottom dwellers have also found an energy source in the raw reserves of oil. Other species exist purely by the sustenance they receive from methane gas vents on the ocean floor.
Many new species of coral have also been found throughout the combined studies taking place the world over, and new discoveries look set to continue for some time to come.
Scientists exploring the oceans are confident of discovering a million or more species. When you think that the oceans make up a third of the planet, and about one and a half million land based plants and animals have already been catalogued, it is not hard to appreciate this.