A mission to a submerged mountain range located northeast of the Hawaiian archipelago uncovered something unexpected in 2022—a long-dormant subaqueous lakebed covered with what appears to be a golden cobblestone pathway reminiscent of Oz.
The unsettling sight was stumbled upon by the research ship Nautilus during its examination of the Liliʻuokalani ridge. Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM).
PMNM is among the biggest marine protected zones globally, surpassing the total area of all U.S. national parks combined, yet our exploration has barely begun. approximately 3 percent of its ocean floor .
Scientists with the Ocean Exploration Trust are venturing into these uncharted territories located over 3,000 meters beneath the ocean’s surface, and the exciting news is that everyone has the opportunity to witness this expedition.
A highlight reel The video content from the expedition released on YouTube in April 2022 documented the instant when scientists controlling the submersible accidentally came across what they dubbed the "road to Oz."
"The path leads to Atlantis," a researcher on the radio is overheard declaring.
"The Yellow Brick Road?" another voice challenges.
"I find this quite strange," remarks another member of the team.
Seriously? This is insane.
Even though it sits beneath approximately one thousand meters of seawater, the lakebed found by scientists at the peak of the Nootka seamount appears unexpectedly arid.
On the radio, the team observes that the ground appears nearly like a "baked crust" which might come away easily.
In a small area, the volcanic rock has broken apart in a pattern that closely resembles brickwork.
The distinctive 90-degree cracks probably stem from thermal stresses caused by repeated heating and cooling at this outer edge of the heated region, reads A title for the YouTube video.
Initially, this impact might be misinterpreted as a gateway to an incredible new realm. In some respects, though, that interpretation isn’t entirely off base.
Following the yellow brick road signifies that we're moving in the correct path and might swiftly uncover much more about Earth's concealed geological secrets.
For additional information regarding the 2022 E/V Nautilus mission, you can delve into further reading. here .
A previous iteration of this piece was published in May 2022.