Intro: Documentaries about Deep Ocean
In this huge article we're going to give you an overview of the best documentaries about Deep Ocean and Deep Sea, available online either for free or on platforms such as Netflix.
The deep ocean is the largest and deepest area of the Earth's oceans. It covers about 36 percent of the world's surface and contains about 97 percent of all water volume. Scientists estimate that more than 95% of the deep ocean has never been explored, meaning there is a vast amount of unexplored knowledge to be uncovered. The deep ocean has many layers, which vary greatly in temperature, salinity, and pressure. Unlike other oceans like the Arctic or the Mediterranean Sea, the deep ocean does not have a surface layer that is easily visible from above or below.
Deep ocean wildlife is almost as diverse as the planet's surface or the atmosphere! There are many strange and unique creatures that live in these dark depths. Some of them are so large they can be mistaken for something else, while others are small enough to fit in a matchbox. All deep ocean animals have developed adaptations to survive in this harsh habitat--some of which even allow them to thrive in some of the most extreme conditions.
Let's dive - literally - into it!
1. Our Planet: High Seas - Netflix Deep Ocean Documentary
The episode follows a group of scientists as they explore the deep ocean, discovering some strange and beautiful creatures that have adapted to life in these harsh conditions. The team also examines how climate change is impacting all living things on our planet -- including humans.
The show explores what it means for human beings to live with other species, whether we can co-exist peacefully or not. It's an important conversation because if humanity doesn't find a way to work together then there could be devastating consequences for us individually and collectively - such as mass extinctions due to pollution or natural disasters like floods and droughts which will lead inevitably towards global warming.
2. Mariana Trench - David Attenborough's Documentary on the Deepest Sea Floor
NHK is a Japanese public broadcasting organization that traces its roots back to 1938 and the nation's first radio station, NHK. It has an extensive network of international reporters in over 100 countries.
One documentary on Mariana Trench by Japan’s NHK about facts and under water life at various depths of this deep sea floor which can be viewed between 8km- 10km below the ocean surface (depends on location) where pressure is 1,086 bars or 15750 psi and temperature ranges from 34°C - 39 °F.
3. Deep Beneath The Ocean and Its Mysterious Creatures
Little is known about the hatchet fish because they live so far down in the ocean. The silver-colored thorax of these scary-looking creatures resembles a blade of a hatchet, leading to their name and somewhat deceiving for those who don't know them well enough. Even though they're not very imposing or deadly, it's pretty terrifying to look at! In order to see one for yourself you'll have go deep into your scuba gear and head out onto the Pacific, Indian or Atlantic Oceans - 50 meters below sea level is where this unusual looking creature calls home.
4. Deep Sea Creatures - Deep Sea National Geographic Documentary
The deep sea creatures refer to organisms that live below the photic zone of the ocean. These animals must survive in extremely harsh conditions like small amounts of oxygen, hundreds of bars pressure and constant cold. Most creatures have to depend on food floating down from above because these areas are so dark with no light. The water is between 3 and 10 degrees Celsius and has low levels of oxygen due to its depth at thousands meters under water's surface in abyssal or hadal zones, which is almost completely devoid of light due to being such a large distance from sunlight in comparison.
The depths of the ocean are full of terrifying creatures - the vampire squid, which looks like a nightmare umbrella, and the frilled shark - the literal living fossil.
5. Expedition Deep Ocean - Documentaries about Deep Ocean
In the world's first global expedition to explore five ocean depths, Explorer Victor Vescovo and his team ventured 47000 miles with 39 dives. They reached their goal of making a successful descent into each of the worlds' five oceans, including setting an unprecedented maximum depth record for human diving at 10,925 meters in Challenger Deep off Guam. Most people can dive up to 60 feet safely; but for most swimmers it is 20 feet deep, they will go down underwater before reaching exhaustion.
6. Squids & Octopuses - Mysterious Hunters of the Deep Sea
Octopuses and squids belong to a group of animals called cephalopods, which means "head-foot people." These sea creatures are hard to classify because they lack a backbone or bones. They have eight or ten powerful tentacles that extend from their head. They use them for capturing prey and in order to defend themselves; when threatened, these tentacles emit foul-smelling ink. Octopus also originate from the primeval period before humans walked this earth - it is no surprise then that they seem so strange and disconcerting today!
We are on a film trip to the Sea of Cortez, followed by the Socorro Islands. It is here that we want to find Humboldt squid's nocturnal hunting habits recorded in our camera and see if they can be captured at their best. Mantas, white-tip reef sharks, sea lions and dolphins accompany us as well as other fish species like swordfish or Merlin from Vancouver Island. We get up close with octopus specialists Karen Palmer and David Pickles for some exceptional footage when they meet some cephalo-pods belonging to these animals before getting eyes on their "favourites".
7. The Lost Treasures Of the Deep - Underwater Treasure Documentary
Dive deep into the mysterious depths of the Mediterranean Sea with renowned ocean explorer Dr. Robert Ballard and his intrepid team! No laws can constrain the centuries-old debates over who may be eligible to stake a claim on these sunken Roman vessels, Spanish galleons and luxury liners. Alongside Dr. Ballard's knowledgeable crew, follow their captivating expedition and witness two generations breathe life into sunken treasures - hunters seeking to gain profit by scavenging silver, gold and other riches from the briny floor. Embark on a thrilling adventure and meet the courageous explorers - from archaeologists profiting from their findings - risking everything to uncover the great treasures of the deep!
8. Underwater Universe
Throughout history, tidal waves have drowned us, storm surges have sunk cities and hurricanes and cyclones fueled by the ocean have caused great havoc. Around these areas are seven deadly zones: flood plains in coastal regions; tsunami-prone coasts; hurricane-producing coastlines with strong currents; whirlpools that form at sea or near shore where they can suck ships into their vortexes (the treacherous "Graveyard of the Atlantic"); underwater volcanoes such as Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano which erupted in 2010 causing a disruption to air travel worldwide for weeks on end when it disrupted global aviation routes.
9. Mission Blue - Netflix Deep Sea Documentary
In the course of her journey, Sylvia has spent time with scientists and activists in places as varied as Antarctica, Thailand's Mekong Delta, Indonesia's coral reefs, Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the Caribbean Sea. She also shares their stories of hope for a healthy ocean future through personal accounts from those directly affected by pollution or marine life destruction.
Mission Blue tells the story of world-renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle who travels around to help save our oceans in an urgent mission that sheds light on how dire they are. In this book you'll learn about all different aspects such as science behind it all; what is happening now; what can happen if we don't take action soon enough.
10. Journey to the Deep with James Cameron
James Cameron, Ocean Frontier Explorer and Academy Award-winning filmmaker, recently achieved a record-setting dive of 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) below the ocean surface in a one-man submarine to Challenger Deep in Mariana Trench. In his 2013 Nirenberg Prize recipient speech he shares what it was like for him during this journey as well as his thoughts on the future of longevity underwater exploration with deep sea diving technology.
11. Deep Ocean: Lost World Of The Pacific Part 1
Our oceans are full of amazing discoveries waiting to be made. The island of New Guinea sits on the equator and is surrounded by richly-colored coral reef, a sharp underwater cliff drops down to 1,000 meters. A long-awaited exploration in the deep parts of this tropical sea is finally about to start when NHK teams up with eminent marine biologist Mark Erdmann who discovered coelacanths in Indonesia (the first fossil found was 68 million years ago). Through their spherical transparent submarine that successfully captured moving images from a giant squid's natural habitat before it moved away, our explorers encounter living fossils one after another as they journey into true depths during their last dive! At the end of this dive into murky darkness comes an unknown exotic fish….
12. Deep Ocean: Lost World Of The Pacific Part 2
In this second part, the NHK team that captured the world’s first footage of a live giant squid in its natural habitat will be setting out for another deep-sea adventure. They will give us an up close and personal look at interesting creatures with luminous bodies that have survived the harsh, pitch-dark environment of the Pacific Ocean.
13. Underwater Volcanoes - Oases of the Sea
In a few areas, underwater volcanoes are home to an unusual amount of plant life and diverse species. This is in part due to the fact that plankton clings to the wall and provides these fish with food in abundance. The documentary showcases several oases as well as examines how dive tourism has impacted them, along with whether or not there have been any preventive measures put into place. Filmmaker Rolf Möltgen travels around the world documenting marine animals such as snappers, white-tip reef sharks, Galapagos sharks and giant mantas while visiting Mexico's mysterious underwater mountain landscapes; Maldives' deep sea burbots; Colombia's small tooth sand tiger shark hunting for prey at depths over 300m below water surface; Costa Rica's dogfish sharks living among rocks at depths more than 600 metres from ocean floor.
The eerie underwater mountain world proves that everyone in the network of life plays their part. Thanks to consistent protective regulations, it has been possible to maintain this diversity - especially in the unique oases of the high seas.
Conclusions: Documentaries about Deep Ocean
We hope that you've enjoyed this Deep Ocean collection! You can learn more about these incredible dives and their true value in the scientific field by checking out the many documentaries about these topics on the Web.
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Images credits: Unsplash.com