Meet The Deepest Pitchers on Earth
The depths of the Earth have puzzled the scientific community for centuries. For years, we only had access to natural sinkholes, although until recently, many had not been discovered. But things changed in the 20th century, when machines allowed us to dig deep into the Earth. But how deep have we really gone?
Zacatón, Mexico
It wasn’t until 2007 that the NASA-funded Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer (DEPTHX) robot reached a depth of 1,000 feet (more than 300 meters). The sinkhole is located in Aldama, Tamaulipas, Mexico. It’s known as El Zacatón, and it’s the deepest water-filled sinkhole on our planet.
Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory, Antarctica
The Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica extends 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) underground. It was built to observe Cherenkov radiation (light) as evidence of neutrinos (subatomic particles without mass) passing through ice.
The observatory was built at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, a U.S. scientific research station.
Kola Superdeep Borehole, Russia
The Kola Superdeep Borehole was drilled in Murmansk, Russia, from 1970 to 1992. It reached a depth of more than 7.5 miles (12 km), making it the deepest borehole in the world. The Kola Superdeep Borehole goes deep into the Earth's crust, but temperatures exceeding 356°F (180°C) prevented drilling from drilling deeper, and the borehole was sealed and abandoned.
Tarim Basin, China
China began drilling a 6.9-mile (11 km) deep borehole in the Tarim Basin in 2023.
The goal is to explore for oil and gas. But in addition to natural resources, the project will also benefit scientific research.
Chikyū, Japan
The Chikyū is a Japanese drilling vessel. Its purpose is to study the subsea environment through the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. In 2012, Chikyū set a new record for deep-sea drilling, reaching a depth of 25,400 feet (7,742 meters) below sea level.
The Big Hole, South Africa
The Big Hole in Kimberley, South Africa, was not naturally formed or drilled by machines. This open-pit and underground mine was actually dug by hand. Tragically, hundreds of African workers died while digging this diamond mine in the 1880s. The Big Hole covers an area of more than 40 acres and is more than 2,600 feet (792 meters) deep.
Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean
Located in the Pacific Ocean, about 124 miles (200 km) east of the Mariana Islands, near Guam, the Mariana Trench is the deepest known place in all the oceans on our planet. The Mariana Trench is over 6.8 miles (11 km) deep. It also gets quite cold, with temperatures dropping to 34°F (1.1°C). As for the pressure, it is 1,000 times greater than in the atmosphere at sea level.
Xiaozhai Tiankeng
Xiaozhai Tiankeng, also known as the Sky Pit, is the largest and deepest sinkhole on Earth, with a depth of 2,200 feet (670 m). It is believed that Xiaozhai Tiankeng was formed over a period of 128,000 years
KTB Borehole, Germany
The Kontinentales Tiefbohrprogramm der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, also known as the German Continental Deep Drilling Program or KTB Borehole, was drilled between 1990 and 1994. The goal was to study the continental crust. Its manhole (there are two) reaches a depth of more than 5.6 miles (9 km). The KTB Borehole is the deepest borehole in the world still in operation.
Woodingden Water Well, England
The Woodingden Water Well in Woodingden, England, was dug by hand from 1858 to 1862. It reached a depth of 1,285 feet (391 m), which, while not very deep by today's standards, was very deep at the time.
Project Mohole, Mexico
The goal was to reach the Mohorovičić discontinuity, aka Moho (the boundary between the Earth's crust and mantle). During Phase I, they reached depths of more than 600 feet (183 meters) beneath the seafloor. Sadly, subsequent phases never proceeded (pictured is a model of the proposed drilling platform). While they never reached the Moho discontinuity, the project did discover the age of part of the crust.
Bertha Rogers, USA
The Bertha Rogers Hole was drilled in 1974 to explore for natural gas reserves in the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma.
At nearly 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) deep, it is the deepest borehole in the United States to date.
Veryovkina Cave, Georgia
The Veryovkina Cave in Georgia is over 1.3 miles (2 kilometers) deep, making it the deepest known cave on the planet.
Also known as the "Everest of the Deep," it wasn't until 2018 that people actually reached the bottom of the Veriwokana Cave.
Sources: (Grunge) (WatchMojo) (ZME Science)