The first ever computer, Apollo 11’s engines and 8 more of the weirdest things found at the bottom of the ocean
Ten of the strangest things found in the deepest, darkest depths of our oceans
EARTH is dominated by the oceans that cover 71 per cent of its surface but what lurks below all this water?
Experts estimate that we have explored less than five per cent of our underwater worlds leaving 95 per cent of untapped deep blue sea.
What riches could be buried beneath these tides? The lost city of Atlantis? The remains of majestic sunken ships? At the very least we should expect to uncover a number of missing shopping trolleys.
As well as the many mysteries yet to be solved, exploration of the seas has led to the discovery some unexpected treasures.
Here is a list of some of the weird, wonderful and even supernatural things recovered from our ocean beds.
The original computer: The Antikythera Mechanism
Discovered by sponge divers in the 1900s, this intriguing item was retrieved from the underwater wreckage of a ship in Greece. Reported to have been built in the 2nd century this ancient device has been dubbed “the first computer” as it is thought it was used to track the movements of the planets.
Apollo 11 engines found by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
In 2013 components of two F-1 rocket engines from Apollo 11 were unearthed by none other than Amazon’s boss Jeff Bezos. Part of the spaceships which had taken astronauts to the moon for the first time, they had been lying at the bottom of the ocean since 1969.
Mystery circular object on the bed of the Baltic Sea
Spotted by a Swedish diving group, this unidentified object was discovered in 2012 lying at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The circular anomaly is yet to be identified, with its origins and functions unknown. Some are calling it “the new Stonehenge”, while others have suggested the alien object could have come from outer space due to its likeness to Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon.
Cleopatra’s lost city of Alexandria
Hidden for 1,600 years, experts had all but given up on finding Cleopatra’s Alexandria until 1988 when archaeologists finally uncovered parts of the city. In order to preserve the sphinxes and temples in their original positions Egypt is planning on building the world’s first underwater museum.
Mystifying circular stone in the Sea of Galilee
In 2003 scientists discovered a round structure weighing nearly 60,000 tonnes in the Sea of Galilee. The structure, made up of basalt rocks, is twice the size of Stonehenge and is like nothing else discovered on earth. The object’s function and formation date are not known but archaeologists have suggested it could be an ancient communal burial site.
Lost Ancient City of Heracleion
Another Egyptian wonder drowned beneath the Mediterranean, the city of Heracleion vanished 1,200 years ago. Around 150ft underwater, archaeologists have discovered gold coins, 16ft statutes and the remains of 64 ships in the submerged city over. Intriguingly, despite years of excavation and research scientists are yet to establish what caused it to sink in the first place.
The doomed emeralds of Jay Miscovich
Amateur diver and treasure hunter Jay Miscovich stumbled across the find of his life when he discovered emeralds worth millions in the Gulf off Florida.
Rather than using the jewels to retire and spend the rest of his life buying happiness, Jay became tied up in a court battle where custody of the gems was contested. Unable to sell the emeralds and reportedly with mounting debt Jay killed himself. To this day it is not known where the stones came from.
Sunken City at the Bay of Cambay
The submerged city in the Gulf of Cambay, India, was discovered in 2002. Dated at a whopping 9,500 years old, the city suggests that life might be more ancient than some historians had previously thought. Strangely, among the findings were intact human remains.
Life exists against the odds
In the deepest depths of the oceans in the most inhabitable of environments, scientists have discovered living microbes. The unlikely organisms have been dated back to the Jurassic period back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. These plucky microbes were found to have been alive for the past 86 million years despite having barely enough oxygen and no fresh food supply.
Deep-sea diving spiders
Incy wincy isn’t just lurking in the corners of your garden shed. The eight legged creepy-crawlies can also be found swimming around underwater. The Diving Bell spider can fill its sub-aqua webs with oxygen so it can live underwater, only coming up for air after many hours.