“This area is one of the most dangerous places on Earth. Nothing has ever been recovered. What is going on here? Oh my gosh, that is crazy. Day by day, more and more scientists are turning to the sea for answers.
The oceans on our planet are one of the last unknown frontiers, and with the help of modern technology, day by day they are revealing their secrets. But some of those secrets are so strange that even after decades of research, we still cannot explain what they are. Today, we dive deep into the mysteries of the sea. From real proof of the existence of the Kraken to the icy fingers of death, this is 15 underwater discoveries that cannot be explained.
Number 15: The Megalodon tooth necklace from Titanic.
Wouldn’t it be cool if the story from the blockbuster movie Titanic was real? And the astonishing necklace called The Heart of the Ocean was still out there? Well, researchers have just uncovered the next best thing. Everyone knows the story of the Titanic, the biggest and best-equipped transatlantic ship of its time, touted to be unsinkable. Its first voyage was a spectacle that sadly ended in tragedy when the ship rammed into an iceberg and sank. The blockbuster movie about the ship was the most expensive movie ever, and it was as amazing as well as heartbreaking. It details the forbidden love between two young people and the story of one of the most expensive jewels in the world, the Heart of the Ocean. Since James Cameron made the movie, there has been an ongoing interest in the ship, with experts sending deep-water submarines to delicately uncover its secrets. Now, 111 years after it sank to the bottom of the Atlantic, a real necklace was found in the wreckage. It’s not the Heart of the Ocean because that one is not real, but the one that was found was made of gold and had a Megalodon tooth embedded in it. This is even better than a diamond. The Megalodon is a prehistoric giant shark that wreaked havoc in the ocean. The necklace will have to stay where it is, but the question remains: who of the 2240 passengers did the necklace belong to?
Number 14: Molinear underwater Sculpture Park.
I have a friend who’s an experienced diver, and he told me a story that shook him to the bones. He went on a summer trip to Granada, Spain, and even though you’re never supposed to dive alone, he couldn’t find a dive partner. He decided to rent a boat and go diving by himself. He was just having fun exploring what the sea had to offer. Then suddenly, his heart skipped and he felt a lump in his throat. What he discovered in Antarctica shocked the whole world. He saw terrifying figures in the distance, and at first, he thought he imagined it. But then he caught a glimpse of it again. The only other time he felt such fear was when a shark snuck up on him behind his back. He deliberated whether to hurry up to the boat and run, but he decided to stay and see what it was. As it came closer, the figures started to become more real, and that’s when it hit him. They were sculptures. Regular-sized human sculptures adorned the seafloor, covered in algae and coral. He later learned it was the Molinear Underwater Sculpture Park, which is a famous diving destination in Granada. There are a couple of things that turned out well in his trip. Firstly, he stayed alive, which is always great. And secondly, he learned never to go diving alone again.
Number 13: The Devil’s Triangle.
When we talk about mysterious places on our planet, nothing is better known than the Bermuda Triangle, also known as The Devil’s Triangle. Ships and airplanes go into the area, never to be seen again. It is difficult to count all the accidents that happened there because there are so many. By some accounts, over 300 vessels have gone missing in this accursed place. For example, a steamboat named Mary Celeste went down not far off the coast of Bermuda under unexplained circumstances, and she’s not alone. Experts say that shipwrecks completely surround Bermuda. But it wasn’t until 1964 that a journalist named Vincent Gaddis coined the term Bermuda Triangle. By his account, it is the area between Bermuda, Florida, and Puerto Rico. These five hundred thousand square miles of the Atlantic Ocean are far deadlier than any other place on Earth. The first accounts about the dangers of this area came from Christopher Columbus, whose ships got entangled in seaweed that incapacitated his ships. But there are other theories, such as sea monsters, extraterrestrials, and even vortices to another dimension. Experts say that the Gulf Stream in the triangle can potentially cause violent weather shifts, and this is actually the area where most Atlantic typhoons go through. Then, methane gas is released from the ocean floor, and disruptions to the geomagnetic flux lines make the compasses go berserk. But it’s not just the ships that get lost; it’s also airplanes. Maybe we will never get to the bottom of the mystery that is the Bermuda Triangle.
Number 12: The Mariana Trench.
Did you know that the Mariana Trench is considered the deepest part of the ocean? The lowest point of the trench is called Challenger Deep, and it is around 11,000 kilometers deep. That means that if you were to put the Himalayas, the tallest mountain on Earth, into the Challenger Deep, Mount Everest would still be submerged over one mile below sea level. And if you are wondering why we haven’t researched this place more, let me paint a picture for you. The pressure down there is one thousand times higher than normal. Imagine having a headache and then 1,000 elephants standing on your head. That’s approximately what you would experience at the bottom of the ocean. Not to mention all the sea monsters living there, giant squids being just one of them. So we started sending autonomous submersible robots, and what they discovered was even scarier. The robots recorded sounds that no one can explain. Some people blame aliens, others say it’s whales. The truth is, experts believe whales can make sounds we still don’t know about. By some accounts, sperm whales create a sonic boom that stuns its prey, making it easier to catch and eat. Experts believe that this sound can stop a human heart, but no one has witnessed it yet and stayed alive. Since seventy percent of our oceans haven’t been researched yet, it is no wonder there are terrifying secrets awaiting us there, and most of them lay at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
Number 11: The unknown 70 plus percent.
It’s amazing how far technology has advanced mankind in the last decades. We sent robots to Mars and even managed to photograph a black hole. Yet seventy percent of our oceans are still uncharted. How is that possible? Covering around 70 percent of our surface, the oceans are like a living organ of our planet Earth. They regulate temperature and weather patterns and support life as we know it. So why do we know so little about them? Well, deep-sea exploration didn’t start until the 1960s, and to this day, it faces numerous challenges. First of all, pressure. At sea level, the pressure of the air pressing
upon your body is around 16 PSI (pounds per square inch). As you dive underwater, that pressure increases significantly. We mentioned it gets up to one thousand times higher on the bottom of the Mariana Trench. So even when we decided to send robot submersibles down there, first we had to make them sturdy enough to withstand such tremendous forces and still be operational for thousands of hours at a time. Then we come to the saltiness of the sea. Most metallic objects used on vessels and other seafaring equipment need to be made from special kinds of stainless steel because salty water is incredibly corrosive. But still, day by day, human technology is evolving, so hopefully soon we will be able to unlock even the most hidden secrets of our oceans. What do you think lies there?
Number 10: The icy finger of death.
Every kid in the world who experienced winter remembers taking down icicles from trees or roofs and playing with them. But have you ever heard of brynical? This strange phenomenon has stupefied people for a long time. It was first observed in the 1960s but wasn’t recorded in detail until 2011. It looks like the foggy claws of death descending from the surface to the ocean floor, freezing everything that comes in contact with them. They are also called the icy fingers of death. This strange phenomenon can be found in the Antarctic Ocean, leaving a trail of frozen ocean-dwelling animals on its deadly path of destruction. But what is it, and why does it happen? Well, it all has to do with the freezing temperatures of the Antarctic. You see, it takes salty water a lot more time and colder temperatures to freeze than fresh water. Once the ocean surface starts to freeze, it forces salt out. This creates a layer of extra salty water called brine that’s below freezing temperature and heavy. As it begins to sink to the bottom, the water that surrounds it immediately freezes, and so does the ocean bottom, creating what is known as anchor ice. A brynical can be 25 centimeters in diameter, and if the conditions are right, it has the ability to grow a few meters a day. Slow-moving bottom-dwelling creatures have no chance against the icicle of death. But the amazing spectacle is actually completely natural. Although it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie.
Number 9: The undersea river.
Waterfalls are considered some of the most mesmerizing natural sites known to mankind. People are in awe of the sight, the sound, and the spectacle that is water cascading down cliffs. But did you know that there is an underwater river and waterfall located in the Black Sea? In 2010, a team of scientists was investigating the Bosphorus Strait. Suddenly, they realized there is a channel that is over 100 feet deep. But the most amazing discovery was that there was water flowing through it. Its flow has rapids and waterfalls in certain spots, and its overall volume was 350 times greater than the River Thames. But how is this even possible? Well, it turns out the Black Sea has some peculiar features. To understand what actually happens there, let’s first look at where the water comes from. There are two main pathways through which the water in the Black Sea is replenished. First, it gets copious amounts of fresh water from the rivers Danube, Dniester, and Don. But then, it gets even more salty water from the Mediterranean. Now, everyone knows fresh water is much lighter than salty water. That means that salty water goes down to the bottom, and fresh water stays in the upper regions. Until they all mix up. It’s called stratification. So, effectively, the river at the bottom of the Bosphorus is actually extremely salty water that behaves somewhat differently than the water located above it. This unique mix of circumstances creates an astonishing sight to behold.
Number 8: The sound of icebergs.
I’ve mentioned mysterious sounds being recorded in the Mariana Trench, but that is not the only strange sound coming from the ocean. And this one is even more terrifying as it comes from a place that is said to be the underwater prison for the Lovecraftian monster-like god of old called Cthulhu. One of the earliest recordings of the bloop sound comes from the 1990s. Some scientists say it is the sound of icebergs cracking, but not everyone is convinced of this theory. The discovery came by accident as experts were looking for underwater volcanic activity in the Pacific. Numerous takes of the strange bloop noise were recorded using underwater microphones called hydrophones, and it was like nothing anyone has ever heard before. The most astonishing thing is that the sound was captured by different hydrophones located more than 3,219 kilometers from each other. It’s incredible to think this is a sound that is probably the loudest naturally occurring sound ever recorded by humans, yet we still cannot decisively conclude what it is or where it comes from. Some scientists say that the elements of the sound are consistent with how living organisms vocalize. However, not even the largest species of whale, such as the blue whale, are capable of creating such a loud sound. Do you have any theories? Is there a gigantic creature living on the ocean floor that we still haven’t seen or witnessed? Could it be the Kraken or something even bigger?
Number 7: The underwater Stonehenge emerges.
When dry spells happen, it can be devastating for people who rely on rain. But a recent drought had an unprecedented benefit, as it raised a Stonehenge-like monument from the mud. Officially known as the Dolmen of Guadalperal, this ancient ruin was first described by a German archaeologist named Hugo Obermaier in 1926. There were various artifacts found at the site, such as 11 axes, flint knives, ceramics, and even copper tools. The actual monument is a circle of around 150 massive granite stones believed to date to around 5000 BC. Dolmens are actually not rare in Europe, although not much is known about them. We don’t even know who made them and what their purpose was. But the site was dealt a huge blow in 1963 when the dictator Francisco Franco decided to flood the area in the process of building a dam. The ruin was all but forgotten until a disastrous drought hit Spain. And to the delight of archaeologists, the Spanish Stonehenge appeared once again. This is not the only time the Dolmen has appeared, and similar droughts happened three times before. This time, entrepreneurial people who own boats started organizing sightseeing tours. But that’s little consolation to the farmers who have suffered the most during this unseen drought. The archaeologists, on the other hand, have another conundrum on their hands. Do they move the stones to another location before they are submerged again, or do they leave them on the spot and let nature take its course?
Number 6: The immortal jellyfish.
The most harrowing ordeal of the human experience is coming face to face with our own mortality. That’s why many feel that the quest for immortality is the Holy Grail for mankind. Recently, in the hopes of getting closer to that goal, scientists have turned to an unlikely source: a jelly-like creature that floats in the ocean. This incredible animal is Turritopsis dohrnii. It is a unique species of jellyfish first found in the Mediterranean Sea and described in the
1880s. Its remarkable capabilities are perfectly described by its nickname: the immortal jellyfish. At 4.5 centimeters in length, it is really small, about the size of your pinky nail. It has up to 90 tentacles and a transparent bell that houses a bright red stomach in the middle. So how did this tiny creature achieve immortality? It’s probably not what most of us think of when we yearn for a long life, but it is nonetheless an amazing survival mechanism. Whenever this animal is threatened or injured, it reverts to a previous developmental stage. It becomes a polyp. Think of it as a reset button with the added benefit of keeping its genetic material intact. This reset button creates a polyp colony that eventually buds and releases medusae that are an exact genetic copy of the original jellyfish. How awesome and weird is that? I’m just not sure if humans can ever make use of this concept, but that doesn’t make it any less awesome.
Number 5: The Milky Sea.
Jules Verne, the famous author who wrote the incredible novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” wrote about a strange phenomenon that looks like the ocean starts glowing. For a long time, most people thought of these as imaginary tales of a great author. However, in 2005, scientists discovered a patch of ocean the size of Connecticut that does just that. It has been dubbed the Milky Sea. At first, scientists disregarded this, as they believed that the concentration of bioluminescent bacteria that can make this happen is virtually impossible to achieve. But a scientist by the name of Steve Miller decided to delve deeper into this mystery. He discovered footage from the SS Lima, which traversed the Milky Sea in 1995. When seeing the footage, he realized that such an enormous region must be visible on a satellite image. So with the help of Steve Haddock from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, they entered the SS Lima’s coordinates for the night the footage was made, and suddenly, a vast area of the ocean off the Horn of Africa started shining brightly. The glowing organism is thought to be caused by a bioluminescent bacteria called Vibrio harveyi, and it covered an area of over 15,400 square kilometers. It’s just amazing how even the tiniest creatures can create amazing spectacles that often puzzle even the greatest biologists. Well done, nature. Well done.
Number 4: The kiss of death.
When I first heard of the sarcastic fringehead, I figured someone was pulling a prank. There’s no way there is an animal with such a name. But then I saw it, and all I can say is it’s even weirder than the name suggests. How can I explain what this fish looks like? Well, the first thing I thought about when I saw its gaping jaws was the acid-spitting dinosaur from Jurassic Park. You know, the one that has flapping skin around its neck and a blood-curdling scream? Well, this fish reminds me of that. Of course, there’s no scream or burning acid, but the display of ferociousness is spot on. These fish are found off the North American coast of the Pacific. They are usually less than 10 inches long. They are not very impressive as they peek from their underground layers. But once they pop out, that’s when they show themselves in all their fearsome glory. As you might have guessed, they are extremely territorial and do not refrain from attacking intruders much bigger than themselves. They have a set of needle-like, extremely sharp teeth that they use to catch prey and defend their realm. Their defense has various stages. At first, they repeatedly open and close their mouths to ward off passersby. When it doesn’t work, they open their mouths as wide as possible, making them appear several times larger than they really are. They also use their mouths to fight each other for territory in a weird form of mouth-to-mouth wrestling. Damn nature, you’re scary.
Number 3: The alien shark.
If you haven’t realized it until now, the oceans on our planet hide mysterious creatures that no one has ever seen before. But did you know that some of those species have existed for millions of years? Compared to us humans, they are the real rulers of Earth. I am talking about a specific kind of shark: the frilled shark. It is a real living fossil that first appeared in the oceans when T-Rex ruled the land. Even though it is a shark, it is unlike any other shark or fish on this planet. It looks more like a snake, and it really does look like it’s slithering through water more than swimming in it. Its mouth has rows after rows of hooked, razor-sharp teeth just waiting for something to bite. A total of 25 rows can hold over 300 teeth, and each of them has dozens of tiny points branching off. Nothing can escape their bite. It has the ability to gape its mouth extremely wide and swallow much bigger prey, just like a snake. And similar to a snake, its digestive system can stretch and expand as it slowly but surely devours whatever gets inside. Its Latin name depicts a snake, dragon, or serpent. However, its modern name is a bit more original. It comes from a row of six red line gills that resemble “In Elizabethan Ruff” from Shakespeare’s play. At least some scientists seem to have a sense of humor. But why didn’t they just call it the Shakespeare shark?
Number 2: The purple orb.
Now that we’ve touched upon the subject of aliens, there was a curious life form filmed off the coast of California that had experts perplexed. It was a purple orb located one and a half kilometers beneath the surface. An exploration vessel called Nautilus was used for an observation mission in an underwater canyon when it came upon an almost glowing, spherical object. The crew was stunned and started speculating as to what it might be. Even though the orb looked magnificent, I found that crab to be much more disturbing. The way the crustacean interfered as the vessel was filming the orb made me suspicious. The crew started to speculate. It could be an egg sac, similar to what spiders make. Some thought it was a jellyfish, while others contested that claim. However, no one was really prepared for an answer. Looking for answers, the crew used a special vacuum hose to retrieve the orb for further study. It was then sent to Harvard University and its Museum of Comparative Zoology. To everyone’s surprise, the strange object was revealed to be a new species of snail, actually a variant of the sea slug to be more precise. These slugs are part of the Pleurobranch genus, but none of them in California are purple. So this might actually be a new species. I bet those scientists are pooping their pants with joy if they discovered a new species. But I still can’t stop thinking of that creepy crab. What was it doing?
Number 1: The giant oarfish monster.
In addition to the Kraken, there is one more legend that plagued the nightmares of seafaring people for centuries: the giant sea serpent. From Scandinavia’s “Dramangadier” to Japan’s “Touhou,” there’s little more needed to instill terror into a person traversing the ocean than the thought of a prehistoric monster in the shape of a snake, capable of wrapping itself around
the ship and crushing it like a grape. While we still don’t have any conclusive evidence of such a creature, we do have a hint that this legend may have a basis in reality. And that hint comes from the oarfish. This snake-like fish is the longest bony fish in the ocean and can grow up to 36 feet long. It is often referred to as the “king of herrings,” even though it’s not a herring at all. It’s so long that its only real enemy is the giant squid. It is found in all oceans except the Arctic and the Antarctic, and the sightings of this elusive creature are extremely rare. Because they dwell at such great depths, very little is known about their behavior and habits. They’re usually seen washed ashore, either dead or dying. In fact, historically, it’s been suggested that the appearance of an oarfish washed ashore could be a precursor to an earthquake or tsunami. But that’s just a myth. Most likely, the deep-sea fish is just disoriented and comes closer to the surface due to some kind of disturbance. Nonetheless, this rare and mysterious creature might be one of the inspirations behind ancient sea serpent myths.
So there you have it, 15 underwater discoveries that cannot be explained. From bizarre creatures and unexplained sounds to underwater ruins and mysterious phenomena, the depths of the ocean continue to surprise and baffle us. The mysteries that lie beneath the waves remind us that despite all of our technological advancements, there’s still so much about our planet that we don’t understand. And perhaps that’s what makes these discoveries all the more captivating and intriguing.
