Everywhere, if people want to dream, they must look up, not down. That’s why scientists from all corners of the world continue to race through space until we can finally land on the moon, even soon… land on the planet Mars! So obsessed with the sky, we often don’t realize that the big mystery is also down there, like our friend’s question. What mysteries lie in the deepest sea?
We may not even realize that 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water. Of the many parts of water, only 5% have been explored. Maybe because of our fellow terrestrial creatures, we’re also like cats that are afraid of water.
Whatever the reason, our knowledge of the sea is still far less than our knowledge of the sky, especially about the deep sea. 80% of the world’s seas belong to the deep sea!
What exactly is the Deep Sea?
Alright. What exactly is the Deep Sea? In short, the deep sea is the part of the sea that has been left untouched by sunlight at all, with depths ranging from about 200 meters to sea level. When measured from the surface, the average depth of the Deep Sea is about 4000 meters, although the most… deepest… can reach 11,000 meters.
Just imagine 13 Burj Khalifa towers stacked into one. Yeah, it’s so deep, until today there are only three people who’ve ever stopped by. Even lesser than the number of people who have ever been to the Moon!
Hm… what is the difficulty of diving into the Deep Sea? Without sunlight, the atmosphere becomes pitch dark and the temperature can drop to near freezing point. In addition, the pressure also continues to increase until it can make ordinary submarines dent.
That’s why our SCUBA dive record alone is relatively shallow compared to the deep ocean. Because, if we keep diving without special tools and vehicles, we can die very… very painful.
But even with such extreme conditions, it turns out that there are still creatures that can survive! Some types of whales, for example, often stop by the Midnight Zone to hunt for typical animals there. Hits! These are not just any animals.
Hidden in the endless darkness, live the figures that might be more strange than the aliens of Kryptonian Planet. With soft, translucent, or even slimy bodies, they seem to fit in the list of the most amazing animals in the world of magic.
And yes, you must know how dark it is if the lights go out at night. Well, these creatures can live in such a dark place for the rest of their lives without any complaints at all.
It’s so comfortable, that their eyes are completely blind. But by that time, some had already adapted to be able to produce light on their own. It’s very sophisticated…
Inside the Deep Sea
But, make no mistake! Inside the deep sea, not just a mysterious sea monster. Moreover, the deep sea in Indonesia. From its location and geographical conditions, Indonesia’s deep sea has a variety of unique characteristics.
First, Indonesian waters are in quotation marks, hot spots for various species and marine biota, which internationally not only inspire researchers but also artists. So unique, an ancient fish species that is supposedly extinct turns out to be still swimming in Indonesia!
Second, our waters are the only troughs of tropical connectivity, which consequently have a major effect on global climate. Thirdly, our waters have a very large number of islands! That’s why, many international scientists have come to Indonesia, just to examine the natural dynamics between humans and the ocean.
And Indonesia’s deep sea also holds a million potential! Starting from food sources, new material warehouses for future medicine, and energy sources both disposable and renewable.
Yes, because it is a meeting point for various tectonic plates, Indonesia’s deep sea can also be a center for study, early warning, and disaster mitigation. So, if there is a major disaster like the Aceh Tsunami in the past, we will be better prepared for it!
Imagine that! The deep sea mystery that we’ve solved is just tiny pieces of gigantic puzzles! Unfortunately, all this time we’ve been unconscious of having treasure hidden deep beneath the sea. When it comes to human resources, Indonesia has a lot of cool scientists who are not inferior to foreign countries.
It’s just, deep-sea expeditions and research it does require funds that… ahem… so many because the fact that the technology needed is also expensive. But instead of rushing across the ocean, we on land prefer political and religious fuss. Just when our treasure is stolen, only then will we be angry. I hope in the future, we’ve fully explored what mysteries lie in the deepest sea.
