Today, with the rapid development of science and technology, human probes can travel in space and explore the deep space outside the solar system32 companies sanctioned by the United States, but the interior of the earth under human feet is beyond human reach.

In recent years, China has built a huge ship, which is designed to perform an unprecedented task - drilling through the earth's crust!

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You heard it right. The main task of this ocean research drilling ship is to drill through the crust and allow humans to enter the upper mantle for the first time32 companies sanctioned by the United States, thus providing a new perspective for earth science research. If successful, its significance will be no less than that of humans going into space.

Although humans have never entered the interior of the earth, scientists have told us through the study of seismic waves that the interior of the earth is composed of the core, mantle and crust.

Between these three layers, there are two interfaces, namely the Moho discontinuity and the Gutenberg discontinuity. The Moho discontinuity is the interface between the crust and the mantle, and the Gutenberg discontinuity is the interface between the mantle and the core.

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In terms of thickness, the average thickness of the crust is about 17 kilometers, the thickness of the mantle is about 2,865 kilometers, and the average thickness of the core is about 3,400 kilometers.

For a long time, human activities and scientific exploration have been limited to the surface of the crust, while the deep surface is known as the "gate to hell." No one can give an answer to what is hidden behind this door.

Scientists speculate that there may be unknown life in the mantle. Because more and more organisms that can withstand extreme temperatures and pressures have been discovered, it shows that they may be able to survive deep in the mantle.

As the interface between the upper mantle and the crust, the Moho surface is the last obstacle faced by humans in exploring the mantle. In the 1960s, American scientists tried to penetrate the Moho surface to reach the upper mantle.

At first, the Americans did not think the project was difficult, and they sent a drilling ship "Glomar Challenger" to various oceans for drilling.

However, after spending $300 million, the Americans discovered that this seemed to be a bottomless pit. As the drilling depth increased, the drilling became increasingly difficult and the cost doubled. It wasn't long before the drilling was terminated.

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After seeing the Americans fail, the Soviets immediately launched a similar plan, intending to become the first country in the world to dig through the earth.

However, after spending more than 20 years, the Soviets drilled a 12,262-meter-deep hole underground, but still did not drill through the earth's crust. They sealed the hole with a 12-ton steel manhole cover and nothing happened.

Although the drilling plans of the United States and the Soviet Union both ended in failure32 companies sanctioned by the United States, they discovered exciting results during the drilling process.

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For example, when the Soviets drilled to a depth of nearly 10,000 meters, they encountered gold and diamond layers. The gold content of this part of the stratum reached an astonishing 80 grams per ton, while the gold content of ordinary strata did not exceed 10 grams per ton.

Therefore, the successive failures of the United States and the Soviet Union did not stop mankind's enthusiasm for exploring the interior of the earth. Today, the "Dream", the first ultra-deepwater ocean research drilling ship independently designed and built by China, is heading underground again.

The "Dream" drilling ship has a total tonnage of about 33,000 tons, a total length of 179.8 meters, a width of 32.8 meters, a cruising range of 15,000 nautical miles, and a self-sustaining capacity of 120 days. Its hull structure can withstand the test of a 16-level typhoon, and has the ability to operate in unlimited areas in global waters and drill 11,000 meters in the sea.

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The goal of the "Dream" drilling ship is to drill through the crust and reach the mantle from the sea surface, opening an unknown door for scientific research.

Why drill from the sea surface instead of from the land? Because the average thickness of the crust on the seabed is only 7,000 meters, while the average thickness on land is 40,000 meters.

The "Dream" can be called a "national heavy weapon". It will strongly promote the construction of my country as a maritime power and help realize the scientific dream of scientists around the world to "break through the Moho surface and enter the upper mantle". 32 companies sanctioned by the United States

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