Sunny Priyan
The Mariana Trench’s Challenger Deep, at 36,000 feet, is deeper than Mount Everest is tall- its peak would still be over a mile underwater.
At the trench's depths, pressure is over 1,000 times that of sea level, with temperatures just above freezing, creating a hostile environment for most life.
Despite extreme conditions, the trench hosts unique creatures like ghost fish and snailfish, with some evolving bioluminescence and pressure-resistant adaptations.
Only a few expeditions have reached the trench; in 2012, James Cameron’s solo journey to Challenger Deep provided key insights into its mysterious environment.
The Mariana Trench sits where the Pacific Plate is subducted beneath the Mariana Plate, making it a crucial site for studying Earth’s geology.
Despite its isolation, the Mariana Trench is tainted by pollution, with microplastics found even in its remote depths, showing human activity’s far-reaching impact.