The Largest Treasure in Human History Found Under the Sea

Humanity has found the greatest treasure in its history under the sea.

A clean energy source that could power the human race for as long as it exists is an incredible discovery, but there is a catch. With the complication that Earth’s geothermal vents lie deep under its oceans, the logistics of extracting the energy could mean it could take humanity thousands or millions of years to make real use of it. However, if we can overcome the technical challenges, the human race will have an infinite source of clean energy.

What is geothermal energy?

Rifts in the Earth’s surface, located in the ocean’s depths, emit continuous heat from seismic activity. This release of energy from rift valleys under the sea has the potential to power humanity’s endeavors for eternity, along with several other benefits to both humanity and the planet we call home.

Provided that humanity can efficiently extract geothermal energy, it is by far the most reliable energy source. The heat emitted from the Earth is constant, while other renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy rely on the weather and are inconsistent as a result. Extracting power from the Earth’s surface provides the unique opportunity to ditch fossil fuels, but maintain the consistency that makes them humanity’s primary source of energy.

The benefits and challenges of drawing on the largest treasure in human history

The challenges to cashing in on humanity’s greatest treasure are the biggest reason we haven’t pounced on this energy source yet. If we ever want to use this subsea treasure, scientists and engineers would have to make significant technological advancements to meet the requirements to achieve the feat.

First, experts would have to find where the world’s best geothermal vents are located, pin them, and find a way to deliver their energy to mainland countries. Then, engineers, scientists, and submarine experts would all need to work together on what would surely be a project worth billions of dollars to create multiple machines that could extract energy efficiently transport it to different land masses, and set it up under the sea.

An operation of such magnitude and technological advancement creates uncertainty and would be an extremely pricy undertaking. On top of that, there is the fact that many of the underwater vents are in international waters, creating potential complications between rival nations in terms of ownership and energy distribution. However, some nations have been working together through the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to reach agreements for when it is finally time to draw on the Earth’s subterranean power.