From Veryovkina Cave to Kola Superdeep Borehole, here are top 10 deepest places in the world

10] Veryovkina Cave (Abkhazia, Georgia):

Veryovkina Cave (Photo: X/@snjegi333)

Veryovkina Cave in Georgia holds the title of the deepest known cave system on Earth. This labyrinthine network of caverns descends an incredible 2,212 meters (7,257 feet), demanding skilled spelunkers and specialised gear to conquer its perilous passages. The cave was discovered in 1968 by cavers from Krasnoyarsk and was initially named S-115.

9] Denman Glacier (Antarctica):

Denman Glacier (Photo: X/@Ant_Partnership)

Unlike their usual image of towering mountains, some glaciers conceal surprising depths. Antarctica’s Denman Glacier holds the record for the deepest subglacial lake ever found. Hidden beneath a massive sheet of ice, this lake plunges a remarkable 3,572 meters (11,720 feet), showcasing the hidden world Antarctica cradles beneath its icy surface.

8] Mponeng Gold Mine (South Africa):

Mponeng Gold Mine (Photo: X/@Kotobarz)

Buried far underground in South Africa, the Mponeng Gold Mine ranks among the world’s deepest operational mines. Plunging an incredible 4,023 meters (13,200 feet), conditions there are brutal, demanding specialised equipment and stringent safety measures to keep miners safe. The working conditions here are harsh, requiring specialized equipment and rigorous safety protocols to ensure miners’ well-being.

7] Peru-Chile Trench (Off the Coast of South America):

Peru-Chile Trench (Graphic) (Photo: X/@IntGLO)

Skirting the South American coast, the Peru-Chile Trench carves out depths of 8,065 meters (26,460 feet). Much like the Tonga Trench, this abyss is born from subduction. Here, the Nazca Plate plunges under the South American Plate, sculpting the coastline and igniting volcanic activity. This abyss results from subduction, where the Nazca Plate dives beneath the South American Plate, shaping the coastline and fueling volcanic activity.

6] Puerto Rico Trench (Atlantic Ocean):

Expedition in Puerto Rico Trench (Photo: X/@oceanexplorer)

The Puerto Rico Trench, north of the island of Puerto Rico, plunges to 8,376 meters (27,460 feet). This trench plays a crucial role in the region’s intricate tectonic movements as the North American and Caribbean plates meet here. This trench is a vital part of the complex plate tectonics of the region, where the North American and Caribbean plates converge.

5] Kuril-Kamchatka Trench (Northwest Pacific Ocean):

Expedition in Kuril-Kamchatka Trench (Photo: X/@safe_marine)

The Kuril-Kamchatka Trench carves another gash into the Earth’s crust by skirting the Kamchatka Peninsula. Reaching 9,710 meters (31,850 feet), this undersea canyon shelters a surprising array of life forms that have adapted to the abyss’s crushing pressure and eternal darkness. Similar to other trenches on this list, the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench is a result of the Pacific Plate subducting beneath the Okhotsk Plate. This dynamic process carves out the abyss and fuels volcanic activity in the region.

4] Kermadec Trench (Near New Zealand):

Aquatic life-form in Kermadec Trench (Photo_ X_@MissionBlue)

East of New Zealand, the Kermadec Trench showcases the immense power of plate tectonics. Plunging to depths of 10,047 meters (32,963 feet), this scar in Earth’s crust is part of the Tonga-Kermadec subduction zone, a region notorious for its vigorous geologic activity. This trench forms part of the Tonga-Kermadec subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate dives beneath the Australian Plate, creating a dramatic underwater valley.

3] Tonga Trench (South Pacific Ocean):

Tonga Trench (Photo: X/@Loveon999)

The Tonga Trench is coming in a close second, plunging to depths of 10,882 meters (35,702 feet). This oceanic chasm near the Kermadec Islands is another hotbed of geologic drama. The Tonga subduction zone, where tectonic plates meet and dive beneath each other, sculpts these immense depths, fueling earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Picture a vast underwater chasm, a constant battleground of immense forces shaping the Earth’s crust.

2] Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench (Western Pacific Ocean):

Mariana Trench (Photo: freepik)

Challenger Deep within the Mariana Trench claims the title of the deepest known natural point on Earth. Plunging to a staggering 10,984 meters (36,037 feet), the pressure here is immense, equating to roughly a thousand times sea-level atmospheric pressure. This abyss was first explored in 1960 by the bathyscaphe Trieste, a feat showcasing human ingenuity in extreme conditions. The pressure here is immense, equivalent to roughly a thousand times the atmospheric pressure at sea level. In 1960, the bathyscaphe Trieste became the first vessel to explore this abyss, a testament to human ingenuity in the face of extreme conditions.

1] Kola Superdeep Borehole (Russia):

Cap of Kola Superdeep Borehole (Photo: X/@BrianRoemmel)

The deepest scar we’ve inflicted on Earth isn’t an oceanic trench but the Kola Superdeep Borehole in Russia. Drilled during the Cold War to quench humanity’s thirst for scientific knowledge, this borehole extends a staggering 12,262 meters (40,230 feet) into our planet’s crust. Remarkably, it surpassed the depth of the Mariana Trench! However, the project was eventually forced to stop due to the incredibly high temperatures encountered far beneath the surface.