In many ways, the floor of oceans is no better explored than space. Why could discoveries such as life around deep-sea hotspots not be investigated until the past few decades?
What is a robot?
A good way to research your answer to this question would be to do a search on recent advances in marine technology. What is the technology used for? Knowing this, you can write about how it provides something that previous technology did not.
Imaginary example: Google entry -- super bubble probe 2012. This machine allows for bubble-specialists to examine bubbles at sub-microscopic levels. This probe has a lens that can magnify to a magnitude of xyw. No other bubble probe has ever had the capacity to examine at these magnitudes, allowing bubble-specialists from 2012 unprecedented frontier breaking advances in bubble research.
Visit websites of periodicals like sciencemag or discover magazine, and have a look through their subject lists for marine-related articles.
The exploration of the ocean floor has indeed faced several challenges, limiting our understanding of deep-sea ecosystems until recent decades. Here's why discoveries such as life around deep-sea hotspots were not investigated earlier:
1. Inaccessibility: The ocean is vast and deep, making it difficult to access and explore its depths. Until the development of advanced technology like remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and submersibles, humans could venture only to a limited depth. This limited our ability to investigate deep-sea ecosystems.
2. Extreme conditions: The deep sea poses extreme conditions such as high-pressure environments, extreme temperatures, and absence of light. These conditions make it challenging for humans to explore directly and require specialized equipment and techniques to withstand these harsh environments.
3. Technological limitations: Early exploration methods, such as dredging or using trawling nets, were not suitable for studying delicate or fragile deep-sea organisms. These methods often damaged or destroyed the specimens before they could be properly studied.
4. Lack of awareness: Until the past few decades, the deep-sea was largely ignored by the scientific community due to a limited understanding of its importance. It was considered a barren and inhospitable environment. Consequently, funding and resources dedicated to deep-sea exploration were limited.
However, advancements in technology and scientific understanding have revolutionized deep-sea exploration in recent decades. The development of ROVs, manned submersibles, and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) enabled researchers to investigate the deep sea with greater precision. These technologies, combined with improved awareness and funding, have allowed scientists to make numerous discoveries, including deep-sea hotspots teeming with life.