Looking For Life In The Deep Ocean

Deep in the darkest, coldest regions of the ocean live some of this planet's most unique creatures. They inhabit a world unlike any other on Earth and are adapted to survive in extreme conditions. These strange and wonderful deep-sea organisms have the potential to reveal new medicines, vaccines, foods, energy sources, minerals, and more. However, many species in the deepest parts of the ocean are at risk of extinction due to climate change and pollution.

Over 80% of the world's oceans are unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored. Scientists estimate that less than 10% of ocean species have been discovered as of today. That means researchers have a lot of work ahead of them! But it isn't easy to explore the deep ocean —the pressure is 100 times that on land, temperatures are near freezing, and the complete darkness makes it impossible for people to explore on their own. Because they are so inaccessible, researchers use special sensors or remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to explore these habitats instead.

Your challenge is to invent a method to explore the deep ocean and discover the fantastic organisms hiding there.

Deep Sea Dive: NOAA scientists are exploring the deepest parts of the ocean. Credit: NOAA Ocean Today

Most of the ocean is not visible from the surface. What is it like to observe and understand something without using your sight? In this first activity, you’ll try to describe and identify items using only your sense of touch.

Note: You may want to staple or clip the bag closed so items do not fall out.

Have a parent, educator, or friend place items in the bag and close it. It's crucial you don't know what's in the bag before you start the investigation.

Here's what to do:

Ask yourself:

Imagine you are a marine biologist and want to study the Giant Squid and other animals that live in the deepest, darkest, and coldest parts of the ocean. How would you do that? What would you build to make it possible to explore those dangerous waters? In this video, you’ll hear how one scientist uses artifacts from the stomachs of whales to estimate how many giant squid live in the world's oceans.

Safety note: When using scissors, cutting tools, and hot glue, protect your hands and eyes. Cover surfaces while working.

In this activity, you will need to design and prototype or model equipment that will allow you to study organisms on the ocean floor at depths of at least 10,000 feet (about 3,000 meters or just under 2 miles) below the surface. Before you start designing or building, here are some questions to ask yourself:

Your invention must collect either data about deep ocean organisms or samples of them. It must be able to send that data or samples to the surface so scientists can analyze the information. As an extra challenge, you may only use scrap or recycled materials as building materials.

For this activity, you must create a drawing, model, or prototype of your invention. A model represents an idea or object, while a prototype is a functional model meant to be tested in some way. If you are making a prototype, you should also determine how to test it to see if it works. You should draw or sketch your invention as part of your planning before you start building. Whatever you make, it should be big enough to demonstrate your idea clearly.

Deep Sea Dive Introduction: Start exploring the dark, deep sea with host Symone Johnson. Credit: NOAA Ocean Today.

Share your invention with others in your class or with friends and family. Ask them for feedback. How could you improve upon your design?

Other questions to ask yourself might include the following:

Once you’ve completed your invention we’d love to see it! You can share it on social media with the hashtag #CephalopodWeek. In addition, Science Friday has created a Flip board to share your ideas. Flip is a simple, free, social learning app that uses short-form video to make learning fun, fulfilling, and empowering. To keep it safe and family-friendly, you must complete a registration form to get the link and all the information you need to set up an account and share your invention. It's easy and free.

Want to keep learning about the deep ocean's mysteries (and science)? Try these activities next!

CreditsLesson by Sandy Roberts.Copyediting by Emma Gomez.Digital Production by Sandy Roberts.

Sandy Roberts is Science Friday's Education Program Manager, where she creates learning resources and experiences to advance STEM equity in all learning environments. Lately, she's been playing with origami circuits and trying to perfect a gluten-free sourdough recipe.

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