2000 metres under thee sea - China begins construction of underwater space station where 6 scientists will live for more than 40 days
Title: 2000 metres under the sea - China begins construction of underwater space station where 6 scientists will live for more tan 40 days
Date of publication: April 14th/2025
Author: Raquel
Summary of article: In the South China sea, 2000 meters below surface, China has officially kicked off the construction of an underwater research station. The station will be built in the dark, at pressurized depths near the city Guangzhou, but this isn't an issue as it will thrive under pressure. This station is equipped with a fiber optic network that is lined along the ocean floor, which is designed to withstand pressures that are a ghastly 200 times greater than at sea level. Built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, this station is designed for mineral exploration and deep sea ecological research.
It's mission is to study cold deep ecosystems and gather data on valuable resources like methane hydrates, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements, the kind of materials that power smartphones and electric cars. The methane gas comes from vents among the ocean floor where the hydrate bubbles up from beneath. This gas is "gaining attention as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels," but it is not an easy feat to attain it.
China is currently planning to send six scientists to spend over 40 days in the station that is now being referred to as a "'space station under the sea,' according to Chinese media outlets." In addition to the scientific research, some experts are warning that the stations construction could double as a "strategic move in China's bid to assert influence over contested maritime territory." They have also stated that this station might give China a reason to ramp up their military presence in the underwater maritime world, and this has already sparked up friction in neighboring countries.
My thoughts: I personally am excited to see the outcomes of this station being built as around 80% of our oceans currently remain unscathed and untouched by humans. I think that it would be a good thing to delve deeper.
We don't know everything about what is underneath sea level, and as much as I love astronomy, we have a whole world undersea that is majorly unknow to us. It is kind of shocking that the ocean, which is on the planet we live on, is gartering less attention than space. Instead of striving deeper into water with our resources, much of humanity's efforts are being directed at going higher, up into the space around us.
The space race is incredibly fascinating, and exploring the universe is an incredible feat, but I feel we need to focus on fully exploring our planet first. The planet is our home, and we haven't even come close to learning all there is to know about it. As much as the under water station can be a concern for maritime territory disputes and military efforts, I think it is worth while having a station down underneath.
We have so much to discover, and the only way to do that is to dive in head first. I'm hopeful that China beginning this exploration will encourage other countries to do the same.
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