Abstract The paper discusses advances and failures in solving the problems posed by V.I. Vernadsky 100 years ago. The quantity and quality of “living matter” along with its distribution on Earth are analyzed. In accordance with the competence of the author, the paper is focused on the most voluminous biogeochemical reservoir of the planet, i.e., the World Ocean. In a number of cases, the presented literature and original data demonstrate a progress in the solution of V.I. Vernadsky problems: the estimation of the quantity and the description of the distribution of living matter. In particular, new data on the role and distribution of the living matter in the oceanosphere are presented. In other cases such as the analysis of the amount of homogeneous living matter and its biogeochemical role, there is no visible progress over the past decades but possible solutions to the problem are suggested.
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