Why do we spend so much effort and money to explore space, if “over 95% of the oceans remain unexplored”. Could there still be incredible things we don’t know about?
I am an offshore/subsea engineer. I work with Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) pilots who have probably seen more of the seabed than any other group of people on the planet. I've seen a fair bit of it myself.
The Short Answer
I am an offshore/subsea engineer. I work with Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) pilots who have probably seen more of the seabed than any other group of people on the planet. I've seen a fair bit of it myself. It's very dull. The bottom of the sea looks like a desert. There's nothing there, just sand a rocks. Only in the shallower areas of the world where the water depth is less than 100m do you actually see real fish. There few fish that live down at 300m, and even fewer that live deeper than that. So you need to define "explored". We have satellite and sonar surveys of the entire ocean, and we know how deep it is in these locations and usually what kind of soil or or rock is down there. You could just as well say that not all of the Sahara Desert is explored – There are bits of it that no one has probably ever seen, but they look just like all the other bits. A.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Seen, probably, desert
This explanation focuses on seen, probably, desert and spans 172 words across 12 sentences. At 153% above the average Space & Astronomy explanation (68 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “I am an offshore/subsea engineer.” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 12 connected points.
How This Compares in Space & Astronomy
Ranked #9 of 500 Space & Astronomy questions by answer depth (top 3%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why we spend so much effort and money to explore space, if "over 95% of the oceans remain unexplored". could there still be incredible things we don't know about?
I am an offshore/subsea engineer. I work with Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) pilots who have probably seen more of the seabed than any other group of people on the planet. I've seen a fair bit of it myself. It's very dull. The bottom of the sea…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Space & Astronomy questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 172 words, ranked #9 of 500 Space & Astronomy questions by depth. The key concepts covered are seen, probably, desert.
What approach does this answer take to explain we spend so much effort and money to explore space, if "over?
The explanation uses contrasting perspectives across 172 words. It is categorized under Space & Astronomy and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.