What's the worst thing at the bottom of the ocean? Amazing finds on the ocean floor
From time to time, people find really strange things at the bottom of the seas and oceans. Some of the artifacts found are simply stunning. Read more about ancient ruins, incredible animals and treasures...
Ancient computer
The Antikythera mechanism is one of the most amazing discoveries of the modern era, despite the fact that it lay in the ocean for thousands of years. It is the oldest known computing mechanism.
However, it is still not clear how the mechanism was used. There is speculation that this is the first analogue computer due to its apparent complexity.
The computer was supposedly designed to predict lunar and solar eclipses based on progressions of Babylonian arithmetic cycles, but the ancient computer's true function remains a mystery.
Apollo engine
In March 2013, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos conceived a completely crazy but fascinating idea: he went in search of the engines that were used during the takeoff of the Apollo 11 manned spacecraft.
They have been lying on the ocean floor since the rocket launch in 1969. The two engines and some parts that were recovered have now been recovered and are on display at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas, USA.
Ancient city
“How can an entire city drown?” - you ask. Surprisingly, this happens more often than you think. Sea levels are constantly rising due to melting ice caps and other factors, flooding cities. And these are unfortunate historical facts.
Fortunately, modern technology allows us to rediscover and study these underwater ruins. One of the most famous examples is located off the coast of Egypt - the city of Thonis, better known as the city of Heracleion.
The found statue represents a foundation that is more than a thousand years old.
Through the parts of the ancient city that were discovered and the materials used, researchers are looking into the former significance of the submerged ancient city, which is believed to have been a center of Mediterranean trade. These ruins were discovered in 2000.
Emerald Treasure
Jay Miscovish from Key West, Florida, USA, bought a treasure map from a friend in a bar in 2010. Treasure hunter and diving enthusiast Miscovich went further to find out the condition of the multimillion-dollar emerald treasure he began searching for on the seabed off the coast of Florida.
The total weight of the found treasure, consisting of real emeralds, was more than 36 kg. The exact origin of these treasures is not yet known.
It is interesting that some time after the discovery of numerous precious stones, Jay Moskovich faced legal battles with US federal agents. And in 2013, he was found shot dead in his own home. The death was identified as suicide.
Coelacanth
Previously it was believed that they became extinct 65 million years ago. One species of coelacanth fish was discovered in 1938 by local fishermen off the coast of Africa. And the second species was discovered in Indonesia. What is most interesting is that coelacanths have not succumbed to evolution at all over the many millions of years of their existence.
They are included in this list because they are very rare fish, about which, unfortunately, there is very little information in the fossil record. In terms of food, fish is of absolutely no value, since it is completely unsuitable for human consumption.
Pirate ships
The wooden ships that have been lying on the seabed for centuries are breathtaking. For example, in 1718, the ship of the legendary pirate known as Blackbeard sank to the bottom after running aground off the coast of the Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean).
And in 1966, what remained of this ship was discovered, including thousands of artifacts.
In 2013, the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources led the effort to remove the heavy artillery from the vessel. Several cannons weighing more than 900 kg each were lifted. And in 2014, a total of twenty different guns were recovered from a pirate ship.
New sharks
Hundreds of sharks were pulled from the deep in the Indian Ocean in 2012, with at least eight of them being a new species. Paul Clerkin, a graduate student at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California, USA, led the expedition and was delighted with the results.
"They're not like the classic great white sharks you see on television," he told NBC News. They are similar to the usual sharks with a jagged spine and, perhaps, this is the only similarity.
Microbes from the Jurassic period
Something much older than coelacanth fish has been discovered in the depths of the ocean. In 2012, microbes originally from the Jurassic period were discovered at great depths.
They were barely alive. These tiny organisms had not eaten for 86 million years, and barely had enough oxygen to maintain their metabolism.
It's hard to believe that these microbes were still alive, but there is more than enough reason to consider these tiny creatures to be among the oldest of all living organisms on the planet.
British Silver
More than 61 tons of silver, worth $36 million, were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean. This is rightfully considered a world record for a treasure discovered in one place. The wealth was on board the British ship SS Gairsoppa, which sank in 1941 after being torpedoed by the Nazis.
The ship sank 480 km off the coast of Ireland, and it was believed that it would never be found.
As of the summer of 2012, representatives of Odyssey Marine Exploration (Tampa, Florida, USA) claimed that only about 20% of the total silver that should have been on board had been recovered. The total weight is believed to be about 240 tons.
Giant animals 
No list of strange underwater discoveries would be complete without some kind of giant monster. Several creatures are known to have washed ashore over the centuries, with some reaching over 12m in length.
For example, this is a giant squid that was filmed in its natural environment in 2001 by Japanese scientists.
Or this record-breaking crab, nicknamed “Crab Kong”. This arthropod has not even reached its maturity yet, but is already 3 m in diameter. The Japanese giant crab was caught near the city of Tokyo. 
Initially, the fishermen who caught it wanted to make soup from the sea “monster,” but then it was given to the biologist Robin James who intervened in the case, who took it into his care.
altic UFO ("Baltic UFO"), or Baltic anomaly ("Baltic Anomaly") - this is the name given by world news agencies to an unusual round object, next to which an expedition of Swedish oceanographers led by Peter Lindbergh and Dennis Asberg operated. The mystery of the Baltic UFO that was eventually found at the bottom, an impressive solution to the mystery.
An unusually shaped object was found at a depth of 87 meters. Experts put forward many theories about what it could be. Some claim that this is a secret design from the Second World War. And with its help, the Germans fought with submarines.
The mystery of the Baltic UFO that was eventually found at the bottom: the Star Wars ship
A mysterious object discovered at the bottom of the Baltic Sea brought together a whole team of experts from different directions, bringing joy and perplexing them. All professional archaeologists, historians, as well as ufologists became interested in the amazing find. Each specialist put forward his own theory about what it could be. But everyone can’t decide what kind of object it is and, most importantly, what it’s for.
Labeled as a “Baltic Sea anomaly,” the structure looks like a natural spaceship that sank underwater from Star Wars.
The item was discovered by Swedish treasure hunters, the Ocean X team, under the command of Captain Lindberg and archaeologist Asberg. They had to clean the find for many months from the numerous silt that covered the object.
The anomaly was discovered by accident; the equipment refused to function near the place where the object was located. Everything electrical was turned off, even the lights on the suits. After such events, they began to study the territory in more depth.
Of course, the news about this find spread all over the world, almost all newspapers and the Internet wrote about it. But they couldn’t voice a clear version of what it is. The versions about the object are very different, some put forward a theory about a Russian sunken ship, others about an unknown spacecraft.
The mystery of the Baltic UFO that was eventually found at the bottom: attempts to unravel the object
Weiner, who studied a sample of material raised from the bottom, concluded that such a metal does not exist in nature.
There are experts who claim that this is a secret Nazi submarine, because it is known that Germany conducted tests in these waters. Others insist that it is a UFO. But at the moment there is no confirmed data for such daring hypotheses - however, there is no clear refutation of this.
The “Baltic UFO” is an object with a diameter of approximately 60 meters at the bottom, which was found using sonar.
“In 18 years of professional activity, I have never seen anything like this,” Lindbergh was amazed at the time.
The precise geometric shapes stunned experts; this structure was reminiscent of the Millennium Falcon ship from the legendary Star Wars film, or similar to a famous architectural structure like the English Stonehenge.
The mystery of the Baltic UFO that was eventually found at the bottom: the mystery of the “mushroom” has been solved
The specialists came to the aid of the footage that the team shared; they were filmed close to the subject. They suggested that this structure did not fly, they just wondered, because near the “Baltic UFO” there is a dented strip and furrows about 300 meters long. It can be assumed that the object made an emergency landing.
The object itself resembles a mushroom hat, rising 4 meters above the bottom. An oval hole and unusual “scorch marks” were found at the top: formations similar to hearths covered with soot.
At this point, the mystery of the “mushroom” may have already been discovered. Geology professor at Stockholm University Volker Brüchert believes that the object lying at the bottom of Botanical Bay - between Finland and Sweden - is most likely of geological origin. As the expert noted, the Baltic Sea is the result of the passage of a glacier in this area. Having melted, which marked the beginning of the sea.
The specialist suggested that the samples that came to him were fragments of ordinary basalt - a rock of volcanic origin. He believes that the basalt was brought to this site by a glacier. And after the ice melted, he found himself at the bottom of the sea. So the object itself most likely ended up in this place due to melting glaciers.
The ocean floor is the best place to meet aliens franckgoddio.org
Be careful with the oceans: at its bottom you can find something that will either make you rich or turn you into a delicious snack.
Do you think that only the Titanic rests at the bottom of the ocean? We have to disappoint: sometimes they find things there that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. We will tell you about these now.
Scientists believe that the first computer was created in Greece over two thousand years ago. Moreover, they even managed to find him, however, on board a ship that sank in 1900 near the island of Antikythera. The mechanism consisted of 37 gears and dials, with the help of which the ancient Greeks calculated the movement of the Sun, Moon and other celestial objects.
In 2005, engineers simulated all the details of ancient artificial intelligence and tried to launch it. They succeeded only in 2008.
The first computer was invented by the Greeks / ibtimes.co.uk
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 is the legendary rocket from which American astronaut Neil Armstrong first set foot on the surface of the Moon on July 20, 1969. Everyone made sure that the hero returned to Earth safe and sound. But everyone forgot about Saturn 5 (Apollo engine). Therefore, an important part of the spacecraft remained in the Pacific Ocean after Armstrong landed. It was raised only in July 2013 in honor of the 44th anniversary of mankind’s first steps on the Moon.
The Apollo 11 engine lay on the ocean floor for over 44 years / archeolog-home.com
Ancient Egypt
Thonis (or Heraklion) is a city of the ancient Egyptians, founded in the 8th century BC. Its ruins were discovered in 2000 by craftsmen from the European Maritime Institute of Archeology during another study of the ocean floor. It is believed that before the Founding of Alexandria, Thonis was the most important port in Egypt. Even historians will no longer know whether this is true.
Some Egyptian cities accidentally became underwater / dailymail.co.uk
Treasure
Friends like to joke about Jay Miscovich, a simpleton diver from Florida. Therefore, in 2010, they gave him an old map indicating the place where the treasure should be kept. And Miskovich took scuba gear and dived to his destination. And he proved that miracles exist: the guy found over 30 kilograms of emeralds at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
Over 30 kilograms of emeralds were found at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico / ibtimes.co.uk
Coelacanth
Coelacanth is one of the fish that has long been considered extinct. This is because scientists find these marine lobe-finned ancestors of all terrestrial vertebrate organisms. The first living coelacanth was found in December 1938 by Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, a museum curator in East London (South Africa).
The last time a coelacanth was seen alive was in May 2007 in Manado (Indonesia). The fish was able to hold out for 17 hours in a section of the sea fenced off with a net. This is a record time, since it is believed that if it can live in surface waters, it will be no more than two hours. And in general, this family is a rarity, on the verge of extinction.
Coelacanth lives no more than two hours in shallow water / latinospost.com
Queen Anne's Revenge
In 1710, the legendary English ship Concord was built, which in 1713 was sold to Spain and then to France. Oh, if only the ship knew that one of the most insidious pirates in Britain, Blackbeard (Edward Teach), had his eye on it. In 1717, an attacker captured the ship, increased the number of guns and named it Queen Anne's Revenge. Concord turned into a thunderstorm on all seas of that time. But in June 1718, the Revenge ran aground off the coast of North Carolina and then sank.
In 2013, American divers discovered several ship guns in the coastal waters of North Carolina (Atlantic Ocean). And the Department of Culture took on the difficult task of raising the monster from the bottom of the ocean. We hope they will be able to do this in 2014.
One Revenge gun weighs over a ton / estorias.net
Sharks
In 2012, the expedition of Paul Clerkin (an American scientist from the California Institute for Underwater Life Research) discovered eight species of sharks unknown to science at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. Scientists say these monsters are the creepiest sea sight they've ever encountered. Do you think this evolution of nature is safe for humanity?
The evolution of sharks turns them into monsters / terraeantiqvae.com
Microbes
Coelacanths and terrible sharks are not all that rest on the bottom of the World Ocean. In 2012, the most ancient organisms on the planet were found. These are microbes from the Jurassic period, which are already over 86 million years old. The bacteria were in salt water all this time, so they did not feed on anything and lacked oxygen. The poor guys are barely alive, but scientists believe they can put them back on their feet. Let's hope they succeed.
The oldest inhabitants of the Earth are over 86 million years old / link2archeology.wordpress.com
Silver
In 1941, three hundred miles off the coast of Ireland (Atlantic Ocean), a Nazi torpedo sank the cargo ship Gairsoppa. It was believed that this ship was wiped off the face of the earth forever. But American marine researchers from the Odyssey Marine Exploration company from Tampa (Florida) discovered this ship at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Moreover, they found silver on it and have already raised 25% of the total treasure. That's about 61 of the 240 tons of cargo, which is valued at more than $36 million.
The Germans were never able to lift 240 tons of silver onto land with the ship Gairsoppa / taringa.net
Kraken
Do you think giant squids are a mythological invention? The film crew of the Japanese TV channel MHK and the American Discovery Channel will not agree with you: the researchers saw with their own eyes a mollusk 18 meters long. They believe this is far from the limit of what can rest on the bottom of the world's oceans. Watch the video to see for yourself: the Kraken is real.
The underwater terrain is as diverse as the surface of the continents. That is, what we usually call deep is most often the seabed 800 meters deep. This is the distance that sunlight can penetrate. And then the worst nightmare begins, in which not a single scuba diver would want to find himself.
By the way, the world record for the scuba diving process took 14 hours and is about 334 meters.
1. After 1000 meters, complete darkness begins
It seems there is no one here except the sperm whale, which can dive up to 3000 meters. The deepest point of the ocean is the Mariana Trench (11,000 meters) in the Pacific Ocean.
2. The ocean floor is not only deep, but also gigantic in area
The area of the world's oceans is 361,132 thousand square meters. km, which is 70.8% of the entire Earth's surface.
3. Don’t forget that all the creatures here look something like this
This is an angler fish. We don't think anyone likes her.
youtube.com
But it's deep there - completely dark. How do females find males and produce offspring? Don't worry, they definitely have a solution.
4. The male, finding a female, bites into her flesh
And it stays there until they have absolutely everything in common.
zmescience.com
5. Humanityexplored only 5% of the ocean
That's right, the remaining 95% is not yet visible to the human eye. As you might guess, all this is located in the DEEP part of the ocean. So maybe Atlantis exists.
6. Pelagic megamouth shark
mentalfloss.com
Its length can reach 5.5 meters. It was first spotted in 1976; by 2014, only 56 individuals had been counted.
7. Some fish species can hide for 70 million years
gettyimages.com
Coelacanths were considered an extinct fish species until one of the dead specimens was discovered in South Africa in 1938.
8. There are many living organisms here that can live without the sun
gettyimages.com
Underwater volcano worms can withstand temperatures of up to 320°C. If they can survive in such conditions underwater, then someday they can survive on land.
9. Pressure at maximum depth is 1100 atm
buzzfed.com
Anyone who decides to go down there is guaranteed the most compact vacuum packaging!
10. Deep sea fish look like this because they never lived anywhere other than those depths.
imgur.com
One has only to lift them to the surface, where the pressure is several times lower, and they all become like puddles.
11. And if you think that you could live peacefully among them, then look at this creature
imgur.com
The goblin shark reaches 3.5 meters in length and its strange jaw is, frankly, a bit of a shock.
12. All the little creatures you're afraid of are here in a larger version.
en.wikipedia.org
Deep-sea gigantism is a phenomenon that affects most inhabitants of the deep, unlike their shallow-water relatives. No one can answer the question “why” for sure. One theory says that because of the cold (0 - 3 °C), animals grow as large as possible in order to have more volume to surface area, that is, to produce a little more heat.
13. Some grow quite gigantic
en.wikipedia.org
14. And don't forget about squid
en.wikipedia.org
Which can reach 18 meters in length.
From the very moment when man came up with the first semblance of a boat to cross a small river, water transport occupied a vital place in the transportation of goods and people. Soon the ancients built huge ships, which made it possible to peer into distant corners of the world.
The ocean attracts with its grandeur both modern travelers and treasure lovers. After all, it stores enormous wealth from sunken ships. And if you dig even deeper, you can learn something new about ancient history.
To date, only a small part of the lost artifacts have been found, but even those that were recovered from the seabed evoke indescribable emotions.
Blackbeard's Guns
The legendary English pirate who made his living by attacking merchant ships off the East Coast of the United States at the beginning of the 18th century. Edward Teach brought fear even to the Royal Navy. In 1718, his ship Queen Anne's Revenge sank off the coast of North Carolina. The wreckage of the ship was found only in 1996. Most of the guns survived.
Antikerian Treasures
In 1900, divers stumbled upon strange artifacts off the coast of the Greek island of Antiquera. After carefully examining the seabed, searchers discovered many ancient artifacts. Among them were bronze and marble statues of ancient Greek gods and coins.
Treasures of the Titanic
The true causes of the collapse of the famous steamship were not known for certain until in 1985, researchers led by Robert Ballard raised the ship from the bottom of the ocean. Many jewelry and artifacts were instantly scattered for fabulous money in private collections.
"Vase"
The Swedish flagship was launched in 1628. Due to errors by the designers, it capsized and sank during its first voyage. In 1961, the Swedes raised the galleon and put it on display in the museum. Today it is the only surviving sailing ship from the 17th century.
"Nuestra Señora de Atocha"
An ordinary farmer, Mel Fisher, has been diving for years, dreaming of finding a treasure. One day he got lucky. Off the coast of Florida, a man discovered the wreckage of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha. On board were tons of gold and silver, as well as jewelry.
Project "Black Swan"
In 2007, the American company Odyssey Marine Exploration discovered the Spanish ship Virgin Mary of Mercy, which sank in 1804 off the coast of Portugal. The gold and silver from the ship was valued at approximately $500 million.
The Spanish government sued the Americans, saying it was part of Spanish heritage. Now the treasures are displayed in Spanish museums.
Antikerian mechanism
Among the above-mentioned Antikerian treasures, divers found an interesting mechanism that no one was particularly interested in. Only years later was it possible to realize its true value. The Antikerian mechanism blew up the scientific world: this device was so complex and perfect that no one immediately believed that the Greeks had designed it in the 7th century BC.
HMS Victory
HMS Victory is a legendary English ship whose commander was Admiral Nelson. The ship is intact to this day and remains in the port of Portsmouth. However, in 1744 there was a ship with the same name that sank in the English Channel tide. The same American company Odyssey Marine Exploration discovered more than 4 tons of gold on the ship.
"Flower of the Sea"
The Portuguese carrack sank off the coast of Malaysia in 1511. On board were 200 chests of precious stones, diamonds ranging from half an inch to a fist's size. Now this cargo is estimated at 2 billion dollars. However, the search for the vessel is constantly postponed.
Treasures of Heraklion
The Egyptians called this city Thonis, the Greeks - Heraklion. He went under water after a strong earthquake, taking with him all his treasures. In 2000, divers found huge statues at the bottom of the sea, which are valued at 5-10 billion dollars.
Treasures of Caesarea
In 2106, a pair of amateur divers off the coast of Israel accidentally stumbled upon a wealth of treasures. Gold coins, figurines and other artifacts date back to the late third century. This is one of the richest finds of the late Roman period.
Site of the first naval battle
The Punic War was the first in the world where the navy was used with all its might. In 241 BC, Roman troops defeated the Greek-Carthaginian armada.
In 2013, researchers managed to find the very place where the general battle took place. At the bottom we managed to find shipwrecks, as well as ancient coins.
There are many more priceless relics and artifacts lying on the seabed. Unfortunately, modern technology does not allow us to easily explore the depths of water. We can only guess what else awaits the brave seekers of antiquity there.
However, perhaps they are for the better. After all, if we solve all the mysteries of the ocean, there will be nothing left to fantasize about. In addition, the entire genre of classic adventure films will die out.
Author of the article
Vyacheslav Yuryev
Vyacheslav Yuryev loves historical topics and everything related to travel. If you need a brief information about some distant country, feel free to contact Slava. This editor will unearth little-known facts about the lives of military leaders and literary classics. At the same time, he is not alien to modern technologies, from fashionable gadgets to the exploration of outer space.
