Sat May 17 01:30:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, aiming for a factual and objective tone:

**The Hindu: Deep Sea Exploration Barely Scratches the Surface, Reveals New Study**

**NEW DELHI, May 17, 2025** – A groundbreaking study published in *Science Advances* reveals the startling extent to which the deep ocean remains unexplored. Researchers from the United States have quantified the limited scope of human visual observation of the deep seafloor, highlighting the vast unknown territories and geographical biases in current exploration efforts.

The study analyzed 43,681 records of deep-sea visual dives from 34 institutions across 14 countries, encompassing activities within 120 exclusive economic zones and the high seas. Researchers combined dive data from institutional records, public databases, and research publications. Utilizing two distinct analytical methods based on submersible vehicle capabilities and operational data (including dive duration and speed), the researchers estimated the total seafloor visually observed to be between 1,259 km2 and 3,823 km2.

This coverage, the study concludes, represents at best a mere 0.001% of the deep seafloor. To put this in perspective, the researchers noted that the entire area observed is approximately half the size of Goa.

Beyond the sheer lack of coverage, the study also exposed a significant imbalance in exploration efforts. Over 97% of all deep-sea dives have been conducted by just five nations: the United States, Japan, New Zealand, France, and Germany. Researchers noted that African and most Latin American countries are virtually absent from operator records, indicating a significant global disparity in deep-sea research.

Furthermore, the research indicated a bias towards specific geological features. Canyons and escarpments are significantly over-represented in visual observations, while abyssal plains, which constitute the largest portion of the seafloor, are comparatively under-explored.

The authors of the study emphasize the implications of this limited and biased data for our understanding of marine biodiversity and ecosystem processes.

“If there were an increase in observing capacity to 1,000 platforms operating worldwide, visually covering the seafloor at the current rate of ~3 km2 per year per system, it would take more than 100,000 years to visualise the seafloor once. These estimates illustrate that we need a fundamental change in how we explore and study the global deep ocean,” the researchers wrote in their paper.

The study serves as a stark reminder of the vastness and complexity of the deep ocean and underscores the urgent need for innovative and equitable approaches to its exploration. The study’s findings raise critical questions about how to improve deep-sea research, particularly the need for diversified international collaboration and a focus on the under-represented abyssal plains.

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