Top 10 Mysterious Facts About Oceans: That Will Scars You

The ocean has long been a source of fascination and fear for humanity. It covers over 70% of the Earth's surface, carrying with it thousands of mysteries beneath its waves. From the shore, the ocean looks quite peaceful and inviting, but its depths are an entirely different world-a place that is filled with terrifying creatures, unexplained disappearances, and eerie phenomena. Indeed, some of the mysteries deep within the ocean are enough to make one blink twice before making a toe-wade into its waters.

Here are 10 of the most mysterious facts about the oceans guaranteed to send chills down your spine, from ghost ships to monstrous sea creatures and deep, unexplored trenches that will make you rethink the ocean as a place that's peaceful.

1. The Mariana Trench: Earth's Deepest and Darkest Place

The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the ocean and the deepest known place on Earth. This abyss stretches nearly 36,000 feet (11,000 meters) deep — over seven miles down — making it deeper than Mount Everest is tall. At these depths, pressure is over 1,000 times greater than at sea level, and the temperature hovers just above freezing.

Despite all the exploration, much of the trench remains unexplored. In fact, less than 5% of the total depth of the ocean has been mapped, and it is only just beginning to reveal the horrors that exist in the dark, cold waters. Marine life at these depths is alien-like, in that creatures have adapted for survival under extreme conditions. Imagine coming across these odd, frightening creatures in this oppressive environment.

That remains of what remains unknown is the Challenger Deep that will be one of the very last frontiers on the planet. Researchers in such a line include filmmaker James Cameron and others who've led histories of dives to this unforgiving place, where dangers lurk within; all that is unknown into its deep makes it stand as one of the scary places on Earth.

2. The Bermuda Triangle: A Graveyard for Ships and Planes

This Bermuda Triangle is probably one of the most famous areas on earth, located within the North Atlantic Ocean between Miami and Bermuda and Puerto Rico within which hundreds of mysterious disappearances had been reported over the ages relating to ships, planes as well as people. Well-known cases include the case disappearance of Flight 19 back in 1945 as well as the unsolved mystery associated with the Mary Celeste back in 1872.

That what's terrifying about the Bermuda Triangle is how these disappearances occur, often with no signs whatsoever. Ships and planes seem to vanish into thin air, with many investigations undertaken yet an explanation for these disappearances not yet found. Various theories are being brought about, like magnetic anomalies, paranormal activities, or an underwater alien base. But most experts reject such thoughts, but the numbing number of unexplained disappearances is still feeding on the mystery surrounding this deathly strip of water.

3. Ghost Ships: The Vessel That Sails Without Human Aboard

One interesting thing about the ocean is how it often holds ghost ships — a vessel that one day becomes deserted and appears somewhere adrift in the ocean without anyone to attend to it or with people missing. Ghost ships were also known with the story of Flying Dutchman, an old ghostly ship with a reputation said to haunt forever on the earth's surface because of a series of catastrophic events. There are real-life examples of ghost ships that have been found, some of which are chilling in their inexplicability.

According to one account of the spookiest ghost ship in history, there existed one called Mary Celeste - a cargo ship in the Atlantic discovered in the year 1872 which lacked people on board and with any form of struggle totally eliminated. The crew was seen nowhere, but all personal belongings, food still lay on the dining table and an absolutely intact vessel that seemed to be there after no struggle. Until to date, no person solved the mystery of Mary Celeste.

Another frightening one is that of the Octavius. It was found in 1775 with a full crew who had died from freezing. Although it had been located in warm, tropical waters, the bodies remained eerily well preserved as it was found, each one in their respective stations with no signs or even evidence as to how they perished and why.

4. Deep Sea Animals in the Deep Sea

The more you go down in the ocean, the more frightening and alien those creatures will be until the last light has been cut off and the pressure continues to build-up; it's as if everything you find is from a horror movie. But over millions of years, many of these creatures were adapted and changed in order to survive living in deep pressure at the bottom of the oceans.

For instance, the anglerfish is a deep-sea predator with an eerie, glowing lure to attract prey in complete darkness. With jagged teeth and a horrifying look, it's one of the most terrifying creatures found in the ocean depths.

Another creature known only through folklore is the giant squid, another denizen of the deep. It is another gargantuan animal that can grow as long as 40 feet and comes with enormous eyes and long powerful tentacles. Captured only recently on film, the giant squid is an elusive and mysterious monster of the deep.

Then there's the vampire squid, an animal that is living in oxygen-poor environments and uses bioluminescence to give "clouds" of light in order to avoid predators. Probably the most macabre creatures the ocean produces.

5. Dead Zones: Oceans that are running out of life

Oceans are considered full of life, but certain parts of the sea are gradually turning into dead zones, that is, large areas of water devoid of enough oxygen and thus cannot support living organisms. Most of the dead zones are due to human activity, including agricultural runoff and fertilizers entering the ocean, causing eutrophication (an overabundance of nutrients resulting in an oxygen deficit).

One of the largest dead zones covers thousands of square miles in the Gulf of Mexico. The zones are spreading, and scientists warn that they are threatening marine biodiversity and even global food supplies. Fish, shellfish, and other marine creatures cannot survive in those waters because of the lack of oxygen; thus, vast underwater wastelands are formed.

It is a grim reminder that human activity is taking a tremendous toll on the oceans. As the dead zones grow, entire ecosystems are being wiped out, and the possibility of oceanic collapse grows with each year.

6. Tsunamis: The Ocean's Wrath

Tsunamis are one of the most devastating natural forces that can sweep away entire cities along the coast in just a matter of minutes. These waves, usually originating from earthquakes or volcanic eruptions beneath the ocean's surface, can move at over 500 miles per hour over vast oceanic distances. When these waves hit the shore, they can stand over 100 feet tall and bring about massive destruction.

The most popular tsunami in contemporary history was the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, generated by a massive earthquake located off the coast of Sumatra. This tragic incidence took more than 230,000 lives in several countries.

A tsunami warning is very rarely made, and undoubtedly the sheer destructive power of their passage makes it one of the most frightening aspects of sea life. In most cases, there is little to warn of when it's coming, thus leaving evacuation almost impossible before this wave hits those within its path.

7. Submarine Cavernous Tunnels : Dark Deadly Labyrinths

It has a huge underwater cave system unraveled and very hazardous. Underwater labyrinths are too tough to penetrate, the possibility of being lost in these dark labyrinths or succumbing to suffocation while locked is highly likely. Many underwater caves extend for thousands of miles; quite many remain uncharted locations.

The most famous cave system in the world is the Cueva de las Sardinas in Mexico. Many people have dived into it, but it is really a very dangerous and nearly unexplored environment. It is a maze of underwater tunnels and chambers that can very easily become deadly if it is not navigated right.

In fact, many divers who spent years practicing the sport have died trying to explore underwater caves. Amongst the frightening factors of this activity are the lack of light, narrow openings, and risk of oxygen deprivation. Underwater cave diving is considered one of the deadliest activities on Earth.

8. The Ocean's Mysterious Magnetic Anomalies

There are regions in the ocean where magnetic anomalies interfere with the navigational instruments and one cannot tell where they are. One such area is the Bermuda Triangle where such mysterious magnetic disturbances are believed to cause navigational errors, leading to accidents and disappearance. Some scientists argue that such anomalies can be explained by natural causes, while others speculate that they might be part of a much bigger, more unexplainable phenomenon.

But magnetic anomalies are not only restricted to the Bermuda Triangle. They happen throughout the world's oceans, often to the bewilderment and disorientation of the sailors and travelers. It is quite a terrifying notion that magnetic forces might warp reality and create disasters, particularly when considering vastness of the ocean and how fast a person can become lost or trapped.

9. Whirlpool Phenomena: Oceanic Vortexes That Swallow Ships Whole

There are also lots of mysterious whirlpool phenomena that appear in the ocean and could suck in a whole ship into their vortexes. These large, rotating bodies of water, also known as maelstroms, could pull vessels underwater in no time.

Probably, the most famous whirlpool in the world is that of Saltstraumen in Norway. This whirlpool is formed by a tidal current which rushes to the tune of up to 20 knots. However, the smaller whirlpools occur very often in the ocean, whereas the big ones rarely and, in fact, they might be even dangerous for ships.

This thought alone sends shivers down your spine: being sucked into a whirlpool, dragged deep in the ocean. And what adds to the danger is that this whirlpool could appear whenever and anywhere, without any notification, making it even worse and unpredictable.

10. The Unexplored Secrets of Sunken Cities

The entire cities and civilizations disappeared beneath the waves over the centuries because of natural disasters, the rising sea levels, or human intervention. The reality that whole ancient cities can disappear beneath the ocean creates an eerie mysterious feeling for anyone. From Atlantis to sunken Egyptian and Greek cities, the ocean may be keeping the remains of lost worlds inside.

Yonaguni is another famous underwater city off the coast of Japan. Some scientists say that this site has structures underwater, like the giant stone steps and terraces. These might be leftovers from some lost civilization, but whether they are man-made or natural is a matter of debate.

This prospect of ancient, forgotten cities lying in the dark depths of the ocean raises very unsettling questions about the past, but finding lost worlds completely abandoned and forgotten is quite a chilling feeling.

Conclusion

There are some secrets in the ocean that even scare one to think of them. It is one area of wonder and terror all mixed up at once. This unexplored depth, mysterious creature, or some unexplained people disappearing within the Bermuda Triangle brings shivers down the ocean. The concept of submerged cities is a bit too chilling.

For those who dare to venture into the dark, vast waters of our planet, the unknown of the ocean will continue haunting them, and the fear of what lies beneath will continue to be one of the scariest features of the ocean. So, the next time you happen to be by the sea, remember there's much more lurking beneath the surface than we can hope to understand.