Challenger Expedition

The Challenger Expedition was one of the first major scientific voyages to explore the ocean, conducted from 1872 to 1876. It involved a naval research ship, the HMS Challenger, which traveled across the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans. Scientists aboard collected data on ocean water, marine life, seafloor sediments, and geography. This expedition greatly expanded our understanding of the world's oceans, discovering thousands of new species and mapping large portions of the ocean floor. It laid the foundation for modern oceanography, providing critical insights into marine ecosystems and Earth’s underwater landscapes.