Here’s Why Going To Space Is Safer Than Exploring The Ocean

1. The Ocean Is Full Of Black Holes

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If you think that black holes only live in space, then you are wrong!  The ocean is full of eddies (currents of water) similar to those black holes in space.  This means that nothing can escape in their path.  Even scarier, the ocean's black holes are enormous, often measuring up to 95 miles wide.  Put into context, that's bigger than the whole of Los Angeles!

2. It's A Cemetery Down There

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If you think about all those wrecked ships over the years, nestling at the bottom of the ocean,  then of course you'll realise that they were manned and could have had passengers.  One diving team found remains of a girl, thought to be 12,000 years old.  In other words, the ocean is a cemetery whereas space is not.

3. It's A Magnet For Lightening

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The ocean may not get struck by lightning as often as land but when it does, the whole thing can be an absolute disaster.  Water is a conductive substance and lightning can spread very rapidly.  The consequences are that it can electrocute anything or any body in its path.  That goes for boats, people and sea life that is in its way.  It really is brutal.

4. New Terrifying Fish Are Being Discovered

Image source; NBC News

If you are of the opinion that the beasts of the jungle are the most horrifying, then you haven't seen the frilled shark, the goblin shark or the largest colossal squid ever seen.  It was spotted just over a decade ago and is more terrifying than anything that walks the earth.  You can't comprehend the size of it until you see it with your own eyes - if you're brave enough!

5. The Ocean Is The Base For Hurricanes

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Hurricanes are treacherous.  They are swirling storms capable of producing winds of 120 kilometers an hour or even higher.  Hurricanes are formed over the ocean and once they touch down, they do it hard.  No less than 103 Americans lost their lives in 2017 as a result of the injuries they sustained in the hurricanes named Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria.  Solar flares which are storms from space, are harmless and bounce off the ozone layer.

6. The Ocean Floor is Home To Shipwrecks

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It's easy to imagine, when you're taking a dip in the ocean, that there's only undisturbed water below you.  The reality is quite the opposite.  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization reports that the floor of the deep ocean is home to, would you believe, three million wrecked vessels.  Space, on the other hand, claims a modest four vessels.

7. Ten People In The United States Drown Each Day

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Yes, it's true.  There are approximately 4000 deaths every year from drowning.  Sadly it's the number one cause of death in children between the ages of one and four in varying depths of water.  These are the findings of the Centers for Disease Control.  Bear in mind the deaths that have happened in space amount to 21 which is over a 50 year period.

8. It's A Bacterial Hotbed

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We see the the tide coming in and receding and you may think you're taking a fresh dip in fresh water.  It's bad news, I'm afraid.  Certain parts of the ocean are full of bacteria including the flesh eating ones.  A few years ago, a female claimed she was developing necrotizing fasciitis after she had been dipping her feet into the ocean, close to Myrtle Beach.  The cells that spawn this disease would never be found in space.

9. Jellyfish Are Deadly

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If your only worry is that you may see a shark when you are swimming, then you have been misinformed.  One of the millions of jellyfish present in the water could be a greater risk to your life.  Jellyfish cannot be easily detected under the water, they inject their venom through their tentacles and can cause considerable pain to the recipient.  Allergic reactions to the venom can cause breathing issues.

10. It's Full Of Garbage Down There

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Looking out from that pristine stretch of beach, sipping a cocktail - everything appears perfect but all is not as it seems.  The ocean is a huge trash can and particularly the Great Pacific Garbage Patch between California and Hawaii.  This area is 600,000 square miles which is over twice the size of Texas.  The problem is getting worse year on year and is unacceptable.

11. If You Crash Into The Ocean, It's Possibly The End

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There is a chance you can survive a small plane crash but if the crash is straight into the ocean then you're very likely to be out of luck.  There is of course the combination of a huge plane crash coupled with the real threat of drowning so luck doesn't come into it.  You should be aware though that in most cases the wreckage from crashed planes in the ocean are never found.

12. The Bermuda Triangle

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The Bermuda Triangle is a 500,000 square mile area of the Atlantic Ocean, steeped in mystery.  The legend is that if a ship enters the Triangle, the vessel will never be seen again.  There was a 540 foot long Navy cargo ship containing 300 men and 10,000 tons of manganese ore.  It entered the Bermuda Triangle and then disappeared without trace.  This is just one out of many, many stories.

13. Much Of The Ocean Remains Unexplored

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Scientists have taken the time to chart out the whole of the moon and Mars but this cannot be said when it comes to deep sea mapping.  Apparently, only 20% of the ocean has been explored.  This information was supplied by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  With 80% of the ocean undiscovered, who knows what lies beneath!

14. Shark Attacks Are All Too Common

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Remember "Jaws", that terrifying movie of the 1970s?  Maybe it's not so far fetched after all as shark attacks are not uncommon.  Last year alone there were 32 provoked and 57 unprovoked shark attacks, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.  There have even been attacks in shallow waters and areas you wouldn't expect there to be one. Beware!

15. Poisonous Pufferfish Can Kill

Image source: Newsweek

If you've ever been interested in deep sea creatures, then you'd know that sharks are not the only danger that is swimming beneath the surface. The NOAA reports that the Australian Box Jellyfish is the most venomous marine animal there is in the ocean. These threats include pufferfish, which have enough toxins inside them that they could kill 30 humans!  his fisherman caught one, posed with it and then threw it back.

16. Rip Currents Can Wash You Away

Image source: Newsweek

Rip currents cause many drowning incidents at beaches all around the globe.  They are formed when waves break close to the shore line, carrying water and sand.  The water then has to find a way back into the ocean.  This concentrated current is extremely powerful and forms a rip current.  Around 80% of sea rescues are due to these "rips" and not everyone is successful.

17. A Tsunami  Could Hit Without Warning

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These natural sea disasters have caused more than 250,000 deaths worldwide between 1998 and 2017.  They can be caused by any large scale disturbance such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides.  There is a theory that a tsunami which is generated by an asteroid hitting earth could be disastrous for our planet and it should never be ruled out.

18. The Depths Will Crush You To Death

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The depth of the average ocean is approximately 12,100 feet.  Divers are instructed to never dive below 130 feet deep.  If you went further than that, there is a risk of your lungs collapsing because of the hydrostatic pressure which increases the deeper down you go.  Pressure is always an issue when reaching a certain depth.  Look what happened to "The Titan" submarine trip.

19. Folk Legends Can Come True

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There has been a legend going around in years gone by about a squid which was 60 feet long.  Turns out it was no legend and it does exist!  The Giant Squid likes to live deep down in the ocean.  It spends much of its life in total darkness and uses its tentacles to catch prey.  To tear its prey into pieces, it uses its sharp beak.  This creature is known to have tendencies of a cannibal!

20. The Ocean Is A Tease And Will Lure You In

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If we knew what lurked beneath those deep waters we would not be so keen to get tempted into the ocean.  It looks breathtaking with its sparkling water and the gentle crashing of the waves.  The beach is often thought of as being a place of relaxation but swimming too far from the shore line could lead to disaster, whether from life under the ocean or rip tides.

21. You Can Catch Diseases In The Ocean

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We hear on the news programs how our sandy beaches are not clean but the ocean is also littered with bacteria that can cause many illnesses.  It has been confirmed that you could catch hepatitis, MRSA, gastroenteritis and pink eye.  It's all our faults because it's humans that treat the ocean like a trash can.  There are more viruses in the ocean than stars in the Milky Way!

22. Water Levels Are Still Rising

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Water levels are rising and it is becoming out of our control because so many individuals do not believe in global warming.  The ice is melting at a faster rate now than ever before as the ocean's temperature is rising.  The result can be felt by flooding, death of fish and loss of habitat for arctic animals, leading to possible extinction.  It's a sad story that we need to take responsibility for.

23. You Can Still Get Sunburned In The Ocean

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You would be wrong to assume that the rays from the sun will not get you if you are i the ocean waters.  The World Health Organisation issued a warning that water reflects upwards of ten percent of the sun's rays and sand reflects an additional fifteen per cent.  In simple terms, if you don't use a high factor sun cream, you can easily burn to a crisp.  Very painful!

24. Scientists Don't Know What's Causing "The Bloop"

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Back In 1997, the NOAA discovered a "screeching bloop" coming from the ocean.  When they investigated, no one knew for sure what the noise was or its exact location but the theory is that it could be due to glacial movements.  Similarly,  the SETI Institute which is the organisation that is in charge of listening to outer space, has not managed to hear anything.

25. We Don't Know How Fishing Is Affecting The World

Image source: CT MirrorAlthough information is still being updating as to how deep sea fishing is impacting the global ecosystem, we do know that removing particular fish species from an ecosystem disrupts how other species populates.  This then results in a knock on effect for breeding, availability of fish and higher prices for those who enjoy fish.  All in all, overfishing can only attract negativity.

26. The Kraken Murdered Dinosaurs And Used The Skeletons

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Have you heard of the Kraken?  It's a legendary huge squid that supposedly devoured ships and creatures as if they were mackerel!  According to the Geology Society of America, it's thought these huge bus size squid murdered dinosaurs and then arranged the skeletons in a pattern.  Whether you believe it or not, there are many unanswered questions and nothing has been ruled out!

27. We Don't Know How To Explore Enough Of The Ocean

Image source: National Geographic

Shockingly, 80% of the ocean is unexplored!  James Cameron (of Titanic fame) reached the lowest part of the ocean that anyone had been to, the Mariana Trench.  He had to come back to the surface after a few hours studying, due to various risks.  With space travel, astronauts can spend long periods of time on their missions as it's actually safer than the ocean.

28. Sunlight Disappears In The Depths

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Once you get to around 3,000 below the surface of the ocean, you won't be able to see any sunlight.  That is less than ten percent of the way down to the bottom of the water.  Deep sea creatures can adapt to this habit but us humans do not have the same capabilities.  Being underwater and it being pitch black sounds very frightening and it can be detrimental to start panicking.

29. The Great Blue Hole Of Belize Attracts Scuba Divers

Image source: PADI Blog

The Great Big Hole Of Belize is a tourist attraction for scuba divers and one of the wishes on many a bucket list.  This underwater sinkhole should only be visited by experienced divers or otherwise it could be pretty daunting.  The hole measures 300 metres wide and 125 meters deep.  It has been recently classed as the largest natural formation to exist.

30. Great White Sharks Congregate For The Kill

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As long as you are watching from dry land, it's a wonderful sight to see Great White Sharks congregating in a large group, in the Pacific Ocean.  It's a remote spot, named as the White Shark Cafe and unsuspecting seal pups are on the menu.  The sharks gather during seal pup season and because of the sheer number of sharks on the prey, it's very difficult for the seals to stay out danger.