The ocean is vast, covering about 70% of Earth’s surface. Deep areas are hard to explore. Scientists think we have documented only 10% of marine species. The Ocean Census project aims to change this by finding 100,000 new marine species within a decade.
Less than two years since launching, the Ocean Census team reported finding over 800 previously undescribed species, many from the deep sea. New technology like machine learning and DNA sequencing is speeding up discoveries.
“There has never been a better time to be a marine biologist,” Oliver Steeds, Ocean Census’ director, told Mongabay by phone. “With the technologies we have now, we can learn more about the ocean in the next 10 years than we have in the last 10,000 years.”
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Read more about this story on Mongabay News: Scientists identify more than 800 new species in global Ocean Census
