Yes, humans have reached and effectively touched the deepest part of the ocean, known as the Challenger Deep located at the southern end of the Mariana Trench.
While exploring the extreme depths presents immense challenges due to crushing pressure, specialized vehicles called submersibles have made this feat possible.
According to available information, nobody has walked on the bottom of the Mariana trench, highlighting the difficulty of direct human presence outside a protective craft. However, the reference states that six people have descended to it in submersibles. The very first successful manned descent was a historic milestone:
- First Descent: In 1960 the US Navy submersible Trieste made a dive with two crew on board, Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh.
This monumental dive proved that manned vehicles could withstand the incredible pressures of the ocean's deepest point. Since that initial journey, a total of six individuals have made the voyage to the Challenger Deep, utilizing advanced submersible technology designed for these extreme environments. Each successful descent means the submersible has reached and made contact with the seabed, allowing humans, albeit protected within their craft, to touch the deepest part of our planet's ocean floor.
Exploring the Mariana Trench continues to reveal fascinating insights into life and geology under unimaginable conditions.
You can learn more about the Mariana Trench and deep-sea exploration here.
