Although water makes up most of Earth’s surface, we still haven’t explored the vast majority of our ocean. A jaw-dropping 95% of our global ocean remains unknown. And so, the waves hide many mysteries, intriguing sights, and incredibly cool animals.

Today, we’re featuring some of the fascinating photos shared by members of the sprawling ‘Oceans Are [Freaking] Lit’ (aka OAFL) online community. Scroll down to check out the pics and see just how incredible our planet’s ocean can be.

#1 This Baby Dolphin Getting A Ride On His Mother's Back

Image credits: reddit.com

#2 The Pacific Ocean Takes Up Half The Earth. A Different Perspective Of Its Sheer Scale

Image credits: That-Jelly6305

#3 Leopard Seal Just A Moment Before Swallowing A Penguin

Image credits: NcryptedMind

National Geographic estimates that 97% of the world’s water is found in the ocean. So, the ocean has a “considerable impact” not only on the weather and temperature but also on the food supply of people and other organisms.

The irony is that human beings have mapped more of the surfaces of the moon and Mars than our very own ocean floor.

#4 Horned Nudibranch I Found Under A Dock :)

Image credits: B0gsna1l

#5 This Crab Is So Cute And Has A Cheetah Pattern

Image credits: delilah-roseE

#6 The Colours Of Corals

Image credits: QuaintMushrooms

NASA states that countless comets and asteroids collided with Earth over billions of years, “enriching our planet with water.” It’s theorized that most of the water in our oceans came from asteroids.

It’s very likely that Venus may have had our solar system’s first oceans billions of years ago. However, due to a lack of a strong global magnetic field and a runaway greenhouse effect, the water may have boiled and escaped into space via solar wind.

#7 I Made An Octopus Carving From Deer Antler Material

Image credits: Shot-Barracuda-6326

#8 Look At This Square Biscuit Starfish

Image credits: cloudnest154

#9 Spotted Trunkfish Cruising The Caribbean Reef

Image credits: OceanEarthGreen

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains that the ocean is the largest living space on our planet, covering nearly 70% of the Earth’s surface.

“It seems that perhaps we ought to know a bit more about the planet we call home. But we don’t…” Currently, humankind has explored just 5% of our planet’s ocean, with 95% still unexplored.

#10 Helicocranchia Pfefferi, Better Known As The Piglet Squid

Image credits: BlancheMagnetic

#11 This Blue Lobster Was Caught Off The Coast Of Portland And Returned To The Water To Continue To Grow. Blue Lobsters Are One In Two Million

Image credits: Soloflow786

#12 A 392-Year-Old Greenland Shark In The Arctic Ocean Has Been Wandering The Ocean Since 1627

Image credits: sbgroup65

According to NOAA, the ocean is an interconnected network of animals, plants, rocks, and other structures, so changes in one component of the ecosystem can have “dramatic impacts on the ecosystem as a whole.”

Furthermore, people can affect many changes in the ocean as well, whether intentionally or by accident. As such, it’s important to be aware of how we use the ocean’s resources.

#13 Tasmanian Giant Crab, 3rd Largest Crustacean In The World

Image credits: Old_Copy_5498

#14 Low Tide In Oregon

Image credits: Alaric_Darconville

#15 Sharing My Whale Shark Shot

Image credits: benfreediver

NOAA points out that it’s difficult to manage the world’s oceans and its resources if we simply don’t know what’s out there. So, by focusing more on exploration, we can ensure that the oceans are managed well.

“Oftentimes we don’t think about our limited knowledge of the deep ocean until after disaster strikes and it’s too late. An oil spill or a missing airplane can quickly demonstrate both how little we know about these environments and how difficult it is to get timely, actionable information about deep-water areas,” the Administration explains.

#16 Thresher Sharks In Malapascua, Philippines

Image credits: benfreediver

#17 Whale Shark With A Shoal Of Remora Fish Inside Its Mouth

Image credits: -What-on-Earth-

#18 One Of My Favorite Shot From This Year. Taken In Panglao, Philippines

Image credits: benfreediver

“Deep reaches of the ocean are places with almost freezing temperatures, corrosive saltwater, limited or no light, and extreme pressures. Not only do we not always know what’s there, we often are lacking the tools and technology needed to get to these extreme places,” NOAA states.

#19 Different Deep Sea Squid Sizes Compared To A Human

Image credits: fnaffanatic007

#20 Gorgeous Velvet-Looking Giant Clam Living Its Best Life On The Great Barrier Reef

Image credits: Whaleshark658

#21 A Shimmering Polychaete Crawling Across The Sea Floor

Image credits: No_Emu_1332

According to NOAA, it’s through ocean exploration (e.g., mapping the seafloor, disseminating data about ocean waters, etc.) that we can establish baseline information that’s needed to understand environmental change better.

This info can be critical for communities that live in coastal areas and which need to stay safe, resilient, and economically sound as sea levels rise, temperatures warm, and storms become more frequent and severe.

#22 Beautifully Captured... Clione In All It's Delicate Glory

Image credits: WillSanguine2

#23 Golden Entourage

Image credits: -What-on-Earth-

#24 Octopus Going For It's Morning Run

Image credits: -What-on-Earth-

The ‘Oceans Are [Freaking] Lit’ subreddit was created just a few years ago, in March of 2022 and currently boasts 319k followers. According to the team running the online group, they are “proudly partnered” with the popular ‘Nature Is [Freaking] Lit,’ which has a whopping 17 million followers.

As per the mods, everyone who wants to post content on OAFL should, naturally, focus only on pictures, videos, and artwork of oceans. “Stick to the topic of the sub people, it shouldn't be that hard,” they say. They point out that the content they share should have a “wow factor” instead of being “some generic photo of a fish that pops up when you Google ‘fish.’”

#25 Curious Sea Lion

Image credits: [deleted]

#26 Clownfish & Her Hundred Of Eggs

Image credits: sh0tgunben

#27 Look Who I Came Across!!!

Image credits: 17queen17

Because there’s such a big focus on original and quality content, reposts are “highly discouraged,” even though they are technically allowed, so long as the content is at least a month old. What’s more, the OAFL community is encouraged to put some effort into their titles to make them descriptive. Meanwhile, if you’re into art, you can share ocean-related artwork and drawings only on weekends.

#28 The Pacific Sea Nettle Jellyfish [oc]

Image credits: Mobile_Millennial

#29 Storm At Plymouth Reminding Me Exactly Why Those Barriers Are So High

Image credits: Elephants_and_rocks

#30 Pretty Pink Meanie, Florida

Image credits: Frogbreakfest69

Which of these photos caught your attention the most, dear Pandas? What are your thoughts about the ocean, as a whole? Do you feel awed or a bit frightened by it (or a bit of both)?

What do you realistically think it would take for more researchers to focus on ocean exploration? We’re always happy to hear your opinions. Feel free to share yours in the comments at the very bottom of this post.