ZAP’S FACTS!
WONDERS

We have better maps of Mars than of our own ocean floor.

Satellites have mapped nearly all of Mars, while over 80% of Earth's ocean floor remains a mystery waiting to be explored.

1 min read
A cheerful blue octopus waves from a colorful ocean floor, with a bright red planet and a star shining above the wavy water.
THE FULL STORY

Sunlight, radio waves and cameras don’t travel well through deep water, so most of Earth’s seafloor is uncharted in detail. Meanwhile, satellites have mapped almost all of Mars’s surface.

A cheerful ocean with a big smile, surrounded by green hills and waterfalls pouring in, splashing with playful waves.
DID YOU KNOW? The ocean is salty because rivers keep washing salt into it. For billions of years, water has run off the land carrying minerals - and salt has nowhere to go. 2 min read
A bright red jet plane zooms above a massive, curling wave, illustrating the speed of a tsunami in the ocean.
DID YOU KNOW? A tsunami can cross the entire Pacific in less than a day. In deep water, a tsunami races at 500 mph, matching the speed of a jet plane, making it one of nature's fastest forces. 2 min read
A cheerful cartoon sun with rosy cheeks smiles as it pulls playful waves up and down, creating a lively tide effect.
DID YOU KNOW? The Moon pulls the ocean toward it - which is what causes tides. Twice a day the sea rises and falls because Moon gravity is tugging on the water. 2 min read