The answer is yes, humans can reach the bottom of the ocean—but it's extremely challenging and dangerous. The ocean is vast, dark, and filled with crushing pressures that make reaching its deepest points a nearly impossible feat. Yet, thanks to incredible advancements in technology, humans have managed to explore some of the most extreme depths on our planet.
The Deepest Part of the Ocean: The Challenger Deep
The deepest known point on Earth is the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, located in the Pacific Ocean. It plunges to a staggering depth of around 36,070 feet (10,994 meters). To put that into perspective, if you were to drop Mount Everest into the Challenger Deep, its peak would still be over a mile underwater!
The Challenges of Reaching Extreme Depths
The deeper you go, the more intense the pressure becomes. At the bottom of the Challenger Deep, the pressure is about 1,100 times greater than at sea level. This means every square inch of a submersible is being pushed upon by 16,000 pounds of pressure. To survive these conditions, humans need special submersibles built to withstand such crushing forces.
Successful Manned Missions
Despite the challenges, there have been a few successful manned missions to the Challenger Deep:
1960 - Trieste Expedition: The first human dive to the Challenger Deep was achieved by Jacques Piccard and U.S. Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh in the submersible Trieste. The submersible was designed to withstand the extreme pressure but could only spend about 20 minutes at the bottom.
2012 - James Cameron's Solo Dive: Renowned filmmaker and explorer James Cameron made history with a solo dive in the Deepsea Challenger submersible. He spent several hours exploring the seafloor, collecting samples, and recording footage.
2019 - Victor Vescovo's Dive: Businessman and explorer Victor Vescovo set a new record by reaching the Challenger Deep multiple times with his specially-designed submersible, DSV Limiting Factor. This was part of the Five Deeps Expedition, which aimed to explore the deepest points of all five oceans.
Technological Advancements and Unmanned Exploration
While manned missions are impressive, they are expensive and risky. Most of our knowledge of the deep ocean comes from unmanned submersibles and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) that can go deeper and stay longer without risking human lives. These advanced technologies have helped us discover new species, study hydrothermal vents, and map the seafloor in unprecedented detail.