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I created a teams for now: https://stackoverflow.com/c/ocean-exploration/questions

But I want to promote the creation of a site like "space exploration" for more discussion on the current events in ocean exploration. There's a lot happening down there and almost none of it fits neatly into any of the existing sites whether engineering, earth sciences, etc.

Just like space exploration talks all about what it takes to get into space and do science or exploit it. Ocean exploration could discuss the same topics, how to get down there, are humans necessary or do it all by robot, is anything worth mining, should it be mined, etc?

If interested, there's an Area51 site trying to propose this as well.

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  • $\begingroup$ We do explore the ocean. But it is dangerous to go there, if is deep, dark, thousands km away, there's high pressure, nothing to breath, it is a desert and there is little if anything to be had. Going into orbit is comparably child's play. That's why people are looking into space. $\endgroup$
    – user22279
    May 5, 2021 at 17:09
  • $\begingroup$ @Earthworm Space is literally the same thing. Nothing to breath, No free water, no air, no gravity (Unlike the deep ocean). $\endgroup$
    – Tardy
    May 5, 2021 at 18:58

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This is the number of questions we receive each day.

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I don't think Ocean Exploration SE would be a healthy site if Earth Science SE has trouble being healthy.

You can ask questions in Earth Science SE if they are related to ES (questions are more than welcome!), same for Engineering SE.

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An overly narrow topic is in general not a good match for Stack Exchange. Ocean exploration certainly falls under the Earth sciences umbrella. Even though the Earth sciences is a rather broad category, it remains a beta site that is struggling a bit. I can't see a site devoted to the even narrower topic of ocean exploration getting out of Area 51. But good luck, if that's your goal.

In addition, many of the questions you pose are not a good match for Stack Exchange as they are opinion-based. You appear to want a discussion forum rather than a Q&A site. Except for World Building and the meta sites, the Stack Exchange network has pretty much avoided being a discussion forum.

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  • $\begingroup$ I don't see the justification of this. Space falls under any other scientific topic as well. Space and Ocean exploration are multidisciplinary and use science and engineering from many fields to accomplish their objectives. Should people wanting to talk about rocket engines have to post in a physics forum? Should I have to post my questions on syntactic foam versus microceramic pellets in an "Earth Science" forum just because that's where the ocean category is? Lastly, none of my questions about ocean are opinion based. ROVs dominate the field for a large number of reasons. $\endgroup$
    – IDNeon
    May 5, 2021 at 19:12
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    $\begingroup$ Overly narrow topics just don't do well on StackExchange, @IDNeon. It might be a high priority with you, but how many others have the same feeling? How many of those others are willing to answer questions? Keep in mind that much of ocean exploration is performed by private companies whose employees have signed very strong non-disclosure agreements that prevent them from revealing trade secrets. $\endgroup$
    – David Hammen
    May 5, 2021 at 19:37
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    $\begingroup$ With regard to space exploration, a lot more public money and a lot more public attention go into that than into ocean exploration. "It is what it is." The Earth Sciences StackExchange is struggling compared to the Space Exploration StackExchange. We could use your help at the Earth Sciences StackExchange, and peeling off a small corner of Earth sciences is a hindrance rather than an aid. $\endgroup$
    – David Hammen
    May 5, 2021 at 19:41
  • $\begingroup$ I don't disagree, if you think it'll help I'll try to come up with some decent questions that puts Earth Sciences on the map. I'm really on the deep ocean kick right now but it'll bounce around, and ultimately Earth Sciences is everything encompassing the study of the Earth and its exploitation and the moral hazards of that. $\endgroup$
    – IDNeon
    May 5, 2021 at 21:18
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We should just keep the speculative, opinionated part out that economically oriented questions have to them. Things like 'should we' and 'how would we' don't have good well founded answers, they only have variables. And even if an answer could be given for current state, the answers may be obsolete tomorrow. Technology is a bit like the weather, isn't it ? And a report depends on a momentary state and only has that long a half life.

Several studies show that economic growth and sustainability are incompatible. I go further and say economy dilutes science and drags it down into the belief of constant growth and limitless exploitation, depleting resources and causing suffering and death and a declining biosphere. And the only argument to keep it up is "It's the economy, stupid !".

In my opinion we should not sacrifice quality for volume. If that means earthscience remains a small site then so be it. I am against the influence of economy in a science based cite, economy opposes science too often (use of fossil fuels mess up climate despite there being better tech, satellite networks hamper astronomy, that mobile phone 5 tech scrambles wavelengths used for meteorology and climate, and the list goes on and on), is inherently opinionated, even opportunistic, booms today and busts tomorrow.

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