Exploration is inherent to human nature. From ancient times to the present day, humans have always been curious and eager to explore the unknown world.

We have climbed Mount Everest, and conquered the world's highest peak; we have flown into space, landing on the moon. These are great achievements of human exploration spirit.

But do you know? There is a place on our planet even more mysterious than space, deeper than mountains, and vaster than land. That place is the deep sea.

The deep sea harbors a mysterious world. It conceals sunlight, plunging this area into complete darkness. Once below 200 meters, sunlight cannot penetrate the seawater, and by 1000 meters deep, all light fades into darkness.

Here, there is no photosynthesis, no trace of plants, only faint glimmers shimmering like fireflies in the darkness.

Besides darkness, the deep sea also possesses the trait of coldness. Below 200 meters, the temperature of the seawater drops sharply, almost reaching the freezing point by the time one descends to 4000 meters. Only some hydrothermal vents spew high-temperature water jets like furnaces.

However, the deep sea is not just a world of darkness and coldness; it also bears immense pressure.

The high pressure of the ocean is currently the greatest challenge for human exploration of the sea. For every 100 meters descended into the ocean, the pressure increases by 10 atmospheres, and for every 10,000 meters descended, it increases by 1000 atmospheres.

An ordinary person without any equipment can only dive to a maximum depth of 20 meters, while professionally trained divers can generally dive to depths of 400 meters.

At a depth of 10,000 meters, the pressure of seawater reaches 1100 atmospheres, equivalent to the weight of thousands of cars pressing down on a person. There is no air here, nor space, only solid rocks, like iron blocks crushed by thousands of kilograms of weight.

The extreme environment of the deep sea leads one to doubt the existence of life, yet the deep sea is a vibrant world, hiding a rich variety of biological wonders, some of which are strange creatures we have never encountered.

Deep-sea fish are the protagonists of the deep sea, adapting to this environment with various unique forms and functions. Some deep-sea fish have huge mouths and sharp teeth capable of swallowing prey much larger than themselves; others are equipped with giant eyes like telescopes, capable of capturing faint light; and some deep-sea fish have luminous organs that they use to attract, confuse prey, or fend off enemies.

The deep sea also hosts a rich variety of invertebrates. They adapt to the deep-sea environment with diverse species and structures. Soft bodies enable some deep-sea invertebrates to withstand high-pressure seawater; some have complex circulatory systems that enable them to survive using the chemical substances from hydrothermal vents; and some invertebrates display their beauty in the darkness with dazzling colors.

In the deep sea, humans can discover many useful resources and organisms, such as oil, natural gas, rare earth elements, hydrothermal systems, cold-water corals, deep-sea organisms, etc. These provide important materials and knowledge for human energy, materials, drugs, etc.

Therefore, deep-sea exploration requires broader, deeper, and more systematic research and development, which is still not fully achieved by humans. The mysteries of the deep sea await further exploration, bringing more beneficial discoveries to humanity.