Imagine a world where the vast blue oceans turned completely clear, revealing their hidden depths and mysteries. Without the natural scattering and absorption of light, marine ecosystems would undergo a dramatic transformation, exposing deep-sea creatures to unfamiliar sunlight and altering delicate food chains. The ocean floor, once shrouded in darkness, would be fully visible, uncovering long-lost shipwrecks, hidden geological formations, and perhaps even undiscovered species. But what would this transparency mean for the planet’s climate? With light penetrating deeper than ever before, ocean temperatures and currents could shift, leading to unpredictable weather patterns and disruptions in global ecosystems.

This thought experiment also raises questions about how human civilization would adapt. Would deep-sea exploration advance at an ac ...