White and red tube worms reach up from the deep sea floor.

Making a Mark on the Ocean Floor

A map of the Mid Ocean Ridge

July 2016

Mapping the Seafloor

Learn about one scientist's pursuit of creating one of the first maps of the seafloor.

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Featured Content

the titanic underwater

Video

The Titanic Wrecksite

A screenshot from the video "Integrated Ocean Drilling Program" showing the front of a research vessel moving through water.

Video

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program

Screenshot from video of an aerial view of the ocean drilling vessel Chikyu.

Video

The Ocean Drilling Vessel Chikyu

Seamounts: Underwater Oases

Colorful corals and brittlestars on Manning Seamount off the New England coast.

December 2009

It is estimated that the March 11, 2011 earthquake in Japan was 1,000 times more powerful than the quake that struck Haiti in 2010. Watch as Smithsonian geologist Dr. Liz Cottrell explains this and more about the major earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Video

Understanding the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Are You An Educator?

At Smithsonian Ocean, we have lesson plans, activities, and resources to help you engage your students in the wonders of our oceans.

see all lesson plans see seafloor lesson plans

The Seafloor Articles

as sea turtle at the surface

Video

Exploring Ocean Life with an Underwater Vehicle

Down below where the sunlight cannot penetrate, the ocean is a dark, cold and alien landscape. Can life really exist in such an extreme environment? NOAA Ocean Today Every Full Moon takes a look at the bizarre and remarkable creatures that persist in the d

Video

Creep into the Deep

Screenshot from video tour of the Chikyu showing an illustration of the ship on water.

Video

Tour the Chikyu

On August 23, 2011 a 5.8 earthquake emanated from the little-known Central Virginia Seismic Zone. The epicenter was near Mineral, VA, but the tremor shook homes, schools, and office buildings in Washington, DC and beyond. In this brief video, Smithsonian e

Video

Demonstrating an Earthquake's Seismic Waves

The Discovery of Two Extreme Sea Stars

Two new species of sea stars were discovered in the deep sea: Paulasterias tyleri (on the left) in a North Pacific hydrothermal vent community, and Paulasterias mcclaini (on the right) in the deep sea off the coast of Antarctica.

May 2015

How Oil Feeds the Deep Sea

Positioned in front of a natural oil seep, this video camera is capturing images of the black oil bubbling up from beneath the sea floor. A light mounted to the frame helps see what is happening in the dark on the sea floor.

November 2014

Making a Mark on the Ocean Floor

A map of the Mid Ocean Ridge

July 2016

Island Ecosystem Transformation via Lava

An aerial view of the Hawaii's shore with lava flowing into the ocean from Kilauea volcano.

October 2018

Forams are tiny single-celled organisms.

Slideshow

Foraminifera

a pink coral

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Corals in the Juan de Fuca Canyon and the Davidson Seamount

Red and white riftia worms living in a deep-sea vent.

Audio

Riftia Worms: One Species at a Time

the titanic underwater

Video

The Titanic Wrecksite