The oceans cover about 70% of the earth's surface, but with all our technologies, less than 1% has been studied. What curiosities are hidden at the bottom? And what will be found if the oceans become transparent?
Why is the water in the oceans so cloudy? Well, this is influenced by a lot of factors like sand, phytoplankton and a lot of living organisms. But let's imagine that the ocean water has become transparent by some miracle. What views will open to us?
First of all, humanity will have to be ashamed. 1.4 billion tons of garbage are dumped into the oceans every year. So a magnificent and large-scale dump created by human waste will appear before your eyes. And in the transparent ocean all this garbage is much easier to contemplate than it is now.
But let's dream a little and get into the spirit of adventure. Just think of all the ancient ships sunk in shipwrecks, sea wars and pirate attacks. Be sure to take a diving kit with you, because now it's much easier to find sunken treasures and valuable artifacts.
What about those ships that are still sailing? There are almost always more than 100,000 ships in the oceans. If you find yourself on the shore, then under conditions of transparency of the water it will seem that distant ships are floating in the air.
How many fish can you see? Not as much as it seems. Researchers from England say there are about 5 billion tons of fish in the oceans. That's enough to fill Loch Ness in Scotland.
However, due to the transparency, it will still be possible to see a lot of fish. Although you will rather be amazed by the emptiness of the ocean, where nothing is found at all.
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Scientists have been mapping the seabed on maps for decades. It always seems to us that this is a bumpy and even sometimes mountainous surface. However, the clarity of the water will show that the ocean floor is fairly smooth.
Okay, but let's at least take a look into the Mariana Trench - the deepest trench on our planet. What's hiding there? Spooky Kraken? Ancient megalodon? No, these monsters are unlikely to meet you. But scientists will be very happy, because it will turn out to find thousands of previously undiscovered species!
UNESCO reports that 150 new species of fish are found in the oceans every year. It is believed that within the next 30 years it will be possible to find all the sea creatures. Well, clear water will allow you to do this much sooner.
However, you should not rejoice, because the transparency of the water can result in harm to ocean inhabitants. This indicates a lack of phytoplankton (it gives blue and green colors). Without this organism, fish can get serious problems.
Phytoplankton is one of the largest food sources for every fish in the ocean. Without them, you will simply have to look for more food and only the largest and most powerful hunters will be able to survive.
What about the sun? The vitality of 90% of all habitats is dictated by our native star. Such habitable zones are called photonic. These are areas where photosynthesis can take place and oxygen can be released.
Currently, only certain oceanic parts are considered suitable for photonic zones. Typically, such areas are located no deeper than 150 m from the surface. If the oceans become transparent, then in theory every part of the ocean will become a photonic zone. The sun's rays will be able to penetrate to a depth of 3500 m! This means that fish colonies will be able to spread over all oceanic expanses.
Well, that's if they can survive. If sunlight penetrates this deep, the water will heat up, because all the sediment at the bottom absorbs more heat than usual. The higher the temperature, the less oxygen in the water.
This will lead to serious problems, as fish need oxygen. This means that many species are at risk of perishing.
It turns out that the transparent ocean is an incredibly beautiful place that opens up the opportunity to search for treasures and new species. But it is also a deadly trap for sea creatures that risk not surviving under the new conditions.