ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Challenger expedition

The Challenger expedition was a very important scientific journey that happened a long time ago, over 150 years ago. It was important because it helped scientists learn a lot about the oceans and the creatures that live within them.

Imagine you are standing on a beach and you see the waves come crashing in. Now imagine if you could go under the water and see what's down there – that's what the scientists on the Challenger expedition did!

They travelled around the world on a big ship called the HMS Challenger, and they took lots of measurements and samples of the ocean. They wanted to learn about the temperature, pressure, saltiness, and other things that affect the water and the creatures in it.

They also used a special device called a dredge to scoop up creatures from the deep sea, and they even found some that had never been seen before! They studied these creatures to learn more about how they live and survive in their habitat.

The scientists on the Challenger expedition wrote down everything they learned in a big book called the Challenger Report. This book became very famous because it contained so much new information about the oceans and the creatures that live in them.

So the Challenger expedition was like a big adventure where scientists travelled around the world to learn new things about the oceans and the creatures that call them home, and then they shared what they learned with the world in a big book!