While past and present programs have discovered new life forms and other marvels below the ocean floor, scientists have just barely scratched the surface. The IODP (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program) is an international scientific research program expected to begin in October 2003. IODP will use new resources to support technologically advanced ocean drilling research. IODP will enable investigation of Earth's regions and processes that were previously inaccessible and poorly understood. The history, organizations, drilling technologies, Initial Science Plan of the IODP and the further deep study of China are introduced in this paper.