A desert is empty, without light or heat. This is the image most people imagine when they think of the deep sea, which usually starts at a depth of 200 meters and reaches almost 11 thousand meters in the Mariana Trench.
“Yes, it is dark. But it's not boring. It is not empty. It is not sterile.” Marine biologist Tiwa Amon warns. “This is what we thought a hundred years ago. But scientific research and investigation over the past century has shown that this is far from the truth.
Born in the Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago, Tiwa Amon grew up surrounded by the ocean. “We spent a lot of time on the beach, in the water. And I realized that I didn't have answers to many questions about the ocean. I wanted to see what was down there many times, but I couldn't.
It was this passion that shaped his future. Today he is one of the leading names in his field, marine biology specializing in the deep sea, and an authority on the study of how our actions affect these little-known habitats and species. He has participated in expeditions around the world and is credited with discovering six new species, including one type of lobster and two types of seaweed. A very active voice on the importance of marine conservation and the areas we don't know about.
In the end, According to UNESCOOceans occupy about 71% of the Earth's surface, but it is estimated Only 5% has been studied and mapped by humans. The lack of knowledge about the deep sea is even greater.
“It's Earth's largest ecosystem. It provides 96% of the habitable space on the planet where life can exist, yet only 0.001% or less is seen by us with our eyes or camera., the scientist explains. “In fact, it is a vast reservoir of biodiversity. We believe that there are over a million species living in the ocean and most of them are at the bottom of the ocean. Most have yet to be discovered.”