These seem like vanity metrics: a gauge of how much we care about science and exploration. The truth is that open ocean projects are slow and expensive. High-ef

These seem like vanity metrics: a gauge of how much we care about science and exploration. The truth is that open ocean projects are slow and expensive. High-effort / low-impact projects like fine granularity sea floor maps are difficult to coordinate without financial backing from a national superpower dedicated to data sharing. I suspect that what will change the trajectory is new low cost technology that simplifies the process.