Humanity has come a long way since 1882, when Jules Verne published his science fiction classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Now, as we enter 2025, we’ve moved far beyond fiction when it comes to unraveling the secrets of the ocean’s great depths.

Using an extraordinary suite of 21st-century tools, marine scientists and explorers are returning with stunning knowledge about the universe beneath the waves: fantastical new species; astonishing insights into how Earth’s life-support systems work; and high-resolution seafloor maps that reveal hidden landscapes and buried treasures that even Verne could never have dreamed of. Recently, a marine archaeologist used robots to find the 17th-century Spanish galleon San José, 2,000 feet down off Colombia—a vessel that has long been called the holy grail of shipwrecks. Along with its priceless historical value, the San José is known to be carrying a cargo of treasure, estimated by some to be worth more than $17 billion.

Journalist and author Susan Casey dives into the latest discoveries in the deep ocean, offering a glimpse of the tantalizing mysteries that still lie on the seafloor. She also explains how for the first time in history technology is enabling us to peer into this realm of darkness and wonder, and why understanding our planet’s underworld is essential—not only for our curiosity but for our survival if we hope to thrive in the world above.

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