By Blake Kim
After hundreds of years of research, scientists across the globe have mapped and discovered only around 20% of the ocean floor, with less than 0.001% of it in the deep ocean. In fact, we have better maps of the surfaces of entire other planets in our galaxy than we do of our own seafloor. These scientists are continually making new discoveries and taking preventive measures against the ocean’s most concerning disease: climate change.
Resulting from climate change, an iceberg the size of Chicago broke away from the George VI Ice Shelf; an international team quickly seized the opportunity and researched the newly exposed seafloor, discovering places on Earth that had never before been accessible to any human. The expedition was extremely comprehensive, mapping approximately 510 square kilometers of new land. Soon, they found a thriving ecosystem of creatures like octopus and giant sea spiders living in large corals and sponges. They even suspect they have discovered new species of animals, such as carnivorous “death-ball” sponges and new fish species, further exhibiting how much we really know about our own ocean (not a lot).
Although scientists from around the world are excited about these discoveries, they also recognize the downsides. Ice loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet is a major contributor to worldwide sea level rise. While making discoveries of our ocean, scientists from the United Kingdom are also attempting to make predictions of future change from melting icebergs, hoping to make a difference in climate change research and prevention.
^^Carnivorous “death ball” sponge^^