continent of asia and africa. what needs to be mapped is double the land mass of all of the earth's continent. it's estimated it will cost 3 to $5 billion to complete the mission. the technology exists, but the financial appetite to do it is not robust. companies, militaries and private enties like oil and gas map areas central to their work at sea but are not always apt to share the data. they are now calling on every day citizens. >> whether you're a master of a bulk carrier, whether you're a yacht skipper, whether you're a ferry boat captain, then you're in a position to gather data to help us chart the seabed. >> the united nations has endorsed the mission to map the world's ocean floor, and anyone with a boat can get involved by visiting the c bed 2030 web site. as for the beautiful coral reefs, researchers hope to learn how and why it's been able to thrive despite the climate