To this day, the oceans are still one of the most mysterious places on the planet. Because they cover a whopping 70% of the Earth’s surface, scientists have only been able to map 27.3% of them so far. Meanwhile, explorers have only seen less than 0.001% of the deep seafloor.
So if you’re curious about what’s hiding below the waves, you’ve come to the right place, pandas. Bored Panda has compiled a list of fascinating (and perhaps unsettling) photos of creatures, items, and more that have been found lurking under water. Enjoy scrolling through these pics, and be sure to upvote the ones that make you want to explore the depths of the ocean!
#1 The ‘Christ Of The Abyss’ Statue Is A 9-Foot-Tall Bronze Statue Of Jesus Underwater In Key Largo, Florida
Image source: Any_Sound_2863
#2 Rare Sighting Of A Pelican Eel. It Can Blow Up Its Mouth, Consuming Squids And Shrimp
Image source: ThatOnePogger
#3 At A Depth Of 24 Metres In Lake Neuchatel, I Met Bruce
My first encounter with this statue shark was rather impressive in limited visibility when I came across it.
Image source: Teppic_XXVIII
One of the most popular vacation destinations is simply “the beach.” Doesn’t matter what country or state it’s in, if humans have the opportunity to sit in sand, swim in waves, and enjoy sunshine, they’re going to take advantage of it. But when we visit the beach, we often forget just how mysterious the oceans are. After all, you’re unlikely to encounter any strange creatures on the shore.
But according to the BBC’s Science Focus, there are some major mysteries about the ocean that scientists still can’t explain. The first one is why orcas are seemingly going out of their way to end the lives of great white sharks. They’ve been washing ashore with their livers ripped out, but nobody knows exactly why they’re being targeted.
#4 The Lamprey Fish
Image source: tbekkerman
#5 Golden Entourage
Image source: -What-on-Earth
#6 Weird And Wonderful: The Fangtooth Fish Has A Face Only A Mother Could Love
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
Another massive mystery is where exactly all of the Earth’s water came from in the first place. Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago, but scientists only have theories about how the majority of the planet became covered in oceans.
“The first [theory] is that Earth formed in a region of space where there was material like rocks and things like that, but also water in some form,” Dr. Helena Bates, a postdoctoral researcher in meteorite science, told the BBC. “The second theory is that Earth formed in a region of space where it was too hot to have any kind of water. And the water that we have on Earth now was delivered post-formation by other bodies in the Solar System.”
#7 Franck Goddio’s Research In The Sunken City Of Thonis-Heracleion
The 2023 Egypt mission of the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM), directed by Franck Goddio, in the sunken city of Thonis-Heracleion revealed new ancient treasures and secrets from the great temple of Amun Gereb and its surroundings.
Image source: Franck Goddio
#8 Cenote Angelita: “Underwater River”
Image source: AB TV
#9 For Your Viewing Pleasure: The Viper Dogfish
Image source: jatadharius
Something else mysterious that’s been discovered deep in the ocean is the Yonaguni Monument. Off the coast of Japan’s southernmost Ryukyu Island, there’s a strange rock formation that has many strange features. Divers have noticed “perpendicular stacked sandstone blocks, parallel joints, a spiral ‘staircase’ and strange etchings,” the BBC explains. But scientists still don’t agree on whether this fascinating monument was naturally formed or man-made.
#10 Diving In Aqaba, Jordan, Where You Can Find An Underwater Military Museum
Image source: elgueroingles
#11 I Was So Captivated By The Coral In The Philippines
Image source: reddit.com
#12 Giant Cuttlefish In Mabul Island Sabah Malaysia
Image source: mgabatangdagat
Another curious aspect of the ocean is the seafloor. The deepest parts of it are over 36,000 feet below sea level, which is about 6,500 feet (or 2 kilometers) deeper than the height of Mount Everest. So it’s not exactly easy for scientists to get themselves or their equipment down there. And according to Dr. Jingchuan Wang at the University of Maryland, there might be many ancient structures still waiting to be discovered at the bottom of the ocean.
#13 Scuba Diving The Underwater Ancient Ruins Of Shi Cheng (Lion City) At Qiandao Lake In China
Image source: CWDiving
#14 The Stargazer Fish
Image source: Calcd_Uncertainty
#15 Ghost Shark Caught On Camera For The First Time
Image source: National Geographic
Scientists also believe that 91% of ocean species have yet to be classified. We already know an impressive 236,000 marine species, but it looks like we’ll keep discovering more and more for a long time. Some of the largest sea creatures that we currently know about include the blue whale, whale shark, and the giant Pacific octopus. And on the other end of the spectrum, one of the smallest, if not the smallest, sea creatures is the tiny Irukandji jellyfish. This little guy measures only 1 cubic centimeter long.
#16 Magnapinna Squid
Image source: DeepseaOddities
#17 The Woolly Siphonophore Thrives In The Deep Sea By Stretching Out To Catch A Meal
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
#18 2025 Alaskan Jellies
Image source: Happy-Fix3401
If you don’t live anywhere near a beach, you might not think about the ocean on a daily basis. But regardless of how far it is from your home, it’s important that we all do our part to protect the world’s oceans. According to the Marine Conservation Institute, the ocean is responsible for generating over half of the oxygen that we breathe. But unfortunately, the way that humans live and treat the planet has had devastating impacts on the ocean.
#19 Aristostomias Scintillans
The deep-sea dragonfish Aristostomias scintillans has unusual bioluminescent organs producing red light under each eye. While most midwater species cannot see in this range of wavelength, this fish can see red. Researchers believe that Aristostomias scintillans uses its red bioluminescent organs as night vision goggles for hunting prey, and as a way for individuals of this species to find each other.
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
#20 The ‘Finger Of Death’ That Freezes Everything It Touches
Under the ice freeze of Antarctica, the water normally remains around minus two degrees. This might sound cold, but compared to the icy surface, it’s a balmy and stable climate. However, danger from above can sometimes make its way down to the ocean floor…
Image source: BBC Earth
#21 The Sea Spider, A Mostly Carnivorous Predator And Scavenger
They are most common in shallow waters, but can be found as deep as 7,000 meters (23,000 ft), and live in both marine and estuarine habitats.
Image source: reddit.com
To take better care of the ocean, the National Ocean Service recommends first conserving water. It’s also a good idea to reduce pollutants and use nontoxic chemicals. Even reducing your waste can help, as there’s already far too much trash floating around in the ocean. And you might love seafood, but it’s a good idea to cut down on how much you consume. Industrial fishing is one of the leading drivers of declines in ocean wildlife populations, the World Wildlife Fund reports.
#22 I Love Most Things On Two Wheels. So When I Saw This In Thailand During My Open Water Course, I Just Had To Get A Photo
Image source: drunkraconteur
#23 Airplane On The Ocean Floor
Image source: reddit.com
#24 I Found This Nightmar Fuel Shark Replica In A 60 Meters (About 180 Feet) Deep Lake In Germany, The Kreidesee
Image source: Alvleeskliersap
We hope you’re enjoying this journey into the depths of the ocean, pandas! Keep upvoting the photos that fascinate you, and let us know in the comments if you’ve ever found any particularly interesting things while scuba diving or walking along the beach. Then, if you’re still curious about what’s lurking in the ocean, we’ve got another Bored Panda article that might pique your interest right here!
#25 It’s Just A Halibut, And Looks Like A Cyclops… No, This Is Not A Cyclops Fish, It’s Just A Halibut
Image source: rfedortsov
#26 Quick Camouflage Helps The Midwater Octopus Survive In The Ocean’s Twilight Zone
This little octopus is a master of survival in one of Earth’s most extreme environments—the ocean’s twilight zone. The midwater octopus (Japetella diaphana) is one of the few octopuses that has adapted to life in open water, far from the safety of rocks and reefs. With a nearly transparent body and the ability to shift to a deep orange in the blink of an eye, Japetella uses camouflage to outsmart predators in the dark.
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
#27 Cymothoa Exigua, Or The Tongue-Eating Louse, Is A Parasitic Isopod That Severs The Blood Vessels In A Fish’s Tongue, Causing The Tongue To Fall Off
It then attaches itself to the remaining stub of tongue and the parasite itself effectively serves as the fish’s new “tongue”.
Image source: JacksonHaddock
#28 Found In The Zoology Museum Of Copenhagen. Labelled ‘Arctic Football Fish’
Image source: el__Chandoso
#29 Man Caught Unusual Fish Called A Rough-Head Grenadier
Image source: justinator5
#30 The Dinner Plate Jelly Is One Of The Ocean’s Top Predators
A hungry dinner plate jelly swims with tentacles held forward. Most jellies are passive predators who drag wispy tentacles behind their bells to catch food that gets trapped in their wake. But the dinner plate jelly relies on stealth to capture food. Swimming with those tentacles out in front allows Solmissus to catch their prey by surprise. Before prey can sense the pulses of the approaching predator, the jelly’s crown of tentacles snares a meal. Forward-pointing tentacles also help the dinner plate jelly catch animals with long tentacles or skinny bodies, like raking up twigs in the lawn.
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
#31 Angler Fish
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
#32 Underwater Museum Of Marseille
Image source: galleriaravagnan
#33 Deep Sea Fish. A Rhinochimaera (Harriotta Sp.) Swims 10 Meters Above The Seafloor
Bizarre-looking fish with a sword-like nose, neon-green eyes, and wing-like fins.
Image source: NOAA Photo Library
#34 The Largest Underwater Sculpture In The World (Ocean Atlas, Bahamas)
Image source: halfEatenCheesecake
#35 Underwater Waterfall
Image source: Xavier Coiffic
#36 How A Blobfish (A Deep Sea Fish) Looks With And Without The Extreme Water Pressure
Image source: bocletaje
#37 The Lizard Fish. Found 8000 Ft Below
Image source: acid-hologram
#38 Some Of My Favourite Underwater Finds
Image source: jumpingmare
#39 A Handful Of Sea Gooseberries. Sea Gooseberries Are A Species Of Comb Jelly, Which Create Shimmering, Bioluminescent Light Displays In The Water
Image source: seaglass_mots
#40 The Ocean Was So Foamy Today It Looked Like Giant Waves Of Whipped Cream
Image source: HobbitoftheWild660
#41 Virgin Mary Statue In Bohol, Philippines
Image source: Steve Coan
#42 Anglerfish From The Ocean Depths Was Washed Ashore
Image source: Soloflow786
#43 What Do You Think Of This Beauty? That Chimera That Got Caught In The Trawl Today
Image source: rfedortsov
#44 Came Across It In Morocco And Mauritania When I Was Working There. By The Way, Is Edible
Image source: rfedortsov
#45 Frilled Sharks
Image source: Citron / CC BY-SA 3.0
#46 Sea Spider
Image source: Bernard Picton
#47 Fish With Transparent Head
For the first time, a large Pacific barreleye fish – complete with a transparent head – has been caught on film by scientists using remotely operated vehicles at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. The deep-sea fish’s tubular eyes pivot under a clear dome.
Image source: National Geographic
#48 This Is Why The Ocean Terrifies Me. This Kind Of Thing Right Here
Image source: LockeProposal
#49 This Is Why I Stay Away From The Ocean
Image source: fathergrigori54
#50 The Champagne Vent Field At NW Eifuku Seamount Emits Droplets Of Liquid CO2 From The Area Around These White Smoker Hydrothermal Vents
#51 This Ocean-Tumbled Brickwork
Image source: karmaKimeleon
#52 Dragon Sculpture In The Lake Of Neuchatel, Switzerland
Image source: Av3le
#53 I Found A Rear Axle Of A Car While Snorkeling In Honalua Bay, Maui
Image source: ShatteredPixelz
#54 For Those Newly “Arriving” On Board, Another Underwater Predator
Image source: rfedortsov
#55 Japanese Spider Crab
Image source: Michael Wolf
#56 Vampire Squid
These deep-sea creatures use long, retractile filaments to passively harvest particles and aggregates of detritus, or marine snow, sinking from the waters above. This feeding strategy, unknown in any other cephalopod (this group of animals includes squid and octopods), allows vampire squid to thrive in the oxygen minimum zone where there are few predators but marine detritus is abundant.
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
#57 The Goblin Shark
The Goblin Shark lives in the deep ocean and has a unique set of jaws for catching prey.
Image source: National Geographic
#58 Deep-Sea Gulper Eel
One of the first times we were lucky enough to observe one was this 1993 sighting at 880 meters (2,887 feet) deep in Monterey Canyon. In nearly four decades of deep-sea diving, we’ve only seen this species 18 times. MBARI researchers were exploring the midwater—the vast expanse of open water between the surface and the canyon floor—using the remotely operated vehicle Ventana when this fascinating fish gave us a rare display of that massive mouth.
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
#59 Deep Sea Viperfish Chauliodus Sloani
When the viperfish (Chauliodus sloani) encounters prey, its long teeth are advantageous, allowing it to grip and hold onto its prey effectively. However, if the prey is too large, it can neither swallow nor spit it out and will die. The long teeth also prevent the mouth from closing completely.
Image source: JesseClaggett
#60 Spiny Crab
Image source: Sitron
#61 Antarctic Stareater
Image source: Peter Marriott
#62 This Deep-Sea Spaghetti Worm Has A Bountiful Bundle Of Tentacles
Image source: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)
#63 Chuuk Lagoon
This popular tourist spot is home to the world’s largest ship graveyard and the sight of a WWII battle between Japan and the United States.
Image source: wikipedia
#64 Found A Submerged Jeep While Scuba Diving
Image source: noneofitlikethat
#65 So A Friend Of Mine Found This While Diving This Week
Image source: nestingmachine
#66 This Is Another Cutie, Out Of The Ones I Was Holding In My Hands
Image source: rfedortsov
#67 Lightly Tinted In Rosy Pink, Enypniastes Sea Cucumbers Live In The Pitch-Black Ocean Depths Far Below The 656 Ft Threshold
Image source: darkreef2
#68 Goblin Shark Attempting A Chomp
Image source: yaboiChopin
#69 Happy To Find A Longsnout Boarfish Yesterday
Image source: crab.e.cam
#70 This Sea Shell I Found In The Ocean
Image source: EstablishmentPure626
#71 The Terrible Claw Lobster Has Hellish Claws
Image source: Peachy-Persimmons
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