: Beyond the reach of the sun, temperatures hover just above freezing, though they can skyrocket near hydrothermal vents that spew scalding, mineral-rich water from the Earth's crust [30]. Life Where It Shouldn't Exist
For decades, we thought the deep sea was too remote for humans to harm. Recent studies have proven the opposite , finding microplastics in the stomachs of creatures living in the deepest trenches [12].
Into the Midnight Zone: Exploring the Mysteries of "The Deep"
While we often look to the stars for the next frontier, a massive, alien world remains largely hidden right here on Earth. Known as "The Deep," the ocean below 200 meters is the planet’s largest habitat, making up 95% of its living space [11]. Yet, despite its scale, we’ve mapped more of the Moon’s surface than we have our own ocean floor [11, 35].
: At about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), you enter the "Midnight Zone," where the last traces of sunlight disappear [11, 19].