We like to say we know less about the ocean here on Earth than we do about the surface of Mars, because while we have a vague idea of its overall structure, we’ve only properly seen less than 0.05 percent of it.
Imagine we discover an alien planet that’s teeming with life, and we’ve only explored an area the size of Tasmania – that’s what we’re dealing with when it comes to the ocean. And now, thanks to this awesome deep-sea diver, we’re getting a glimpse at what’s really down there.
Roman Fedortsov is a deep-sea fisherman based in the port city of Murmansk in Russia, which looks out over the Barents Sea – a relatively shallow sea that opens into the Arctic Ocean.
Fishing throughout the coastal Arctic ocean region, all the way to the coast of Morocco, Fedortsov has been sharing images of the deep-sea creatures that wander into his nets.
And let’s just say, you might think you know what an anglerfish looks like, but it’s a whole other story to see one close-up, sitting in the palm of someone’s hand: