Deep And Mysterious Facts About The Abyss Of The Ocean (13 pics + 2 gifs)

Sharks are way older than dinosaurs and trees

Sharks survived basically everything the world threw at them. That is both terrifying and impressive. According to studies, sharks have been around anywhere from 400-450 million years ago. In fact, there are a few other sea creatures that predate trees as well.

Pressure at the bottom of the ocean would crush humans like ants

The deepest point in the Mariana Trench is about 35,802 feet, where the water pressure is 8 tons per square inch. This is equivalent to a person holding 50 jumbo jets. It’s actually pretty disturbing how a human body would be crushed.

There are over 3 million shipwrecks in the world’s oceans

Throughout all of human history, there have been about 3 million shipwrecks. Even scarier? Less than 1% of them have been explored.

Male anglerfish have a savage mating technique

Male anglerfish look different than females because their sole purpose is to attach to a female from time to time as a parasite and knock her up.

Most of the planet is in absolute darkness

Since around 70% of the planet is covered by its oceans, a huge chunk of that is dark. The average depth is 12,500 feet, with light only penetrating 330 feet of water. Everything below is dark, which leaves most of the earth in complete darkness all the time.

Giant squids can grab things from 30 feet away

The massive sea monsters have two special ‘feeding’ tentacles that reach up to 33 feet long. They have sharp-toothed suckers on the end that act like spears to capture prey. There’s not a whole lot of pictures out there of the crazy things, but here’s what a giant squid’s lair looks like.

The ‘midnight zone’ of the ocean is creepy as hell

This part of the ocean named the ‘midnight zone’ is so deep that sunlight cannot reach it. The creatures that live down in these frigid waters are all predators or scavengers. The ecosystem thrives on ‘marine snow’, which is anything that falls from the waters above including plankton and the very last remains of carcasses. Yum.

Viruses are the most abundant form of oceanic life

Scientists estimate the number of ocean-dwelling viruses is so high that (if stacked end to end) the total number would reach past 60 galaxies.

The world’s largest waterfall is actually underwater

The small slice of ocean between Greenland and Iceland is home to a gigantic waterfall called the Denmark Strait cataract. It stretches 100 miles wide and 11,500 feet straight down. It’s eerie knowing this waterfall is several times bigger than any we can see on land.

Box jellyfish are way more dangerous than sharks

This type of jellyfish takes over a hundred human lives every year. The tentacles of just one box jellyfish hold enough venom to seriously harm around 60 people. Survivors are usually in pain for weeks after they are stung.

Only three people have visited the deepest known point on Earth

The Mariana Trench, located in the Pacific Ocean, is home to the deepest known point on the planet. Three people have managed to brave the frigid temperatures. In comparison, twelve people have walked on the moon.

We know more about the moon than the ocean

Experts know more about the moon than the geography of the ocean, as only about 5% of the ocean’s floor is mapped.

There are more artifacts in the ocean than all museums on earth

A lot of important historical artifacts have been discovered at shipwreck sites. Estimates suggest that there are way more treasures deep in the world’s oceans than can be found in all the museums combined.