According to the National Ocean Service, it's a shockingly small percentage. Just 5 percent of Earth's oceans have been explored and charted – especially the ocean below the surface. The rest remains mostly undiscovered and unseen by humans. That doesn't seem like it could be true.

Is the ocean currently being explored?

More than eighty percent of our ocean is unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored. ... Currently, less than ten percent of the global ocean is mapped using modern sonar technology. For the ocean and coastal waters of the United States, only about 35 percent has been mapped with modern methods.

Why are we exploring the ocean?

Exploration is key to increasing our understanding of the ocean, so we can more effectively manage, conserve, regulate, and use ocean resources that are vital to our economy and to all of our lives. ... Insights from ocean exploration can help us better understand and respond to earthquakes, tsunamis, and other hazards.