Unidentified floating objects

The oceans cover nearly three-quarters of Earth's sur face, yet to this day they remain dark and largely unexplored frontiers. By casting some light on the ocean with wide-area sonar, we hope we can help to preserve marine life. Perhaps one day fixed sonar platforms will scan the ocean much as fixed radar stations currently monitor weather and bird migrations on land. If used responsibly-perhaps by delaying the release of the data for a month or two-the information gleaned would provide marine biologists with a valuable scientific resource without compromising the sea creatures it reveals.