Science & Nature

The Last Frontier

We Know More About the Surface of Mars Than the Bottom of Our Own Ocean

Mei Lin

Deep-sea biologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, studying the ecology and evolution of deep-sea organisms.

January 30, 2026·8 min read

The Last Frontier

The deep ocean covers more than 60% of Earth's surface and reaches depths of nearly 11 kilometers, yet less than 20% of it has been mapped in detail. The creatures that inhabit this alien world — from bioluminescent fish to chemosynthetic ecosystems around hydrothermal vents — continue to astonish scientists with their diversity and adaptations.

TOPICS

deep seaocean explorationbioluminescencehydrothermal ventsmarine biology

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