We’ve Only Explored Less Than 5 Percent of the Ocean Floor

The ocean floor may be one of the last unknown frontiers for explorers, including deep oceanic trenches like the Mariana Trench.

By Sara Novak
Aug 30, 2022 2:30 PMAug 30, 2022 2:25 PM
Ocean trench
(Credit: ded pixto/Shutterstock)

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The deepest oceanic trench found on the planet is 35,876 feet, or around 7 miles. It’s called the Mariana Trench and it lies in a remote portion of the Pacific Ocean, southwest of Guam.

A handful of divers in submersibles have made their way down to the bottom, but because of a lack of oxygen and deep-sea pressure, they’ve only explored for short periods of time.

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