National Geographic estimates that 97% of the world’s water is found in the ocean. So, the ocean has a “considerable impact” not only on the weather and temperature but also on the food supply of people and other organisms.
The irony is that human beings have mapped more of the surfaces of the moon and Mars than our very own ocean floor.
#4 Photographer Captures An Extreme Close-Up Of A Whale's Eye For The First Time, Revealing Its Vibrant Blue Hues And Impressive Details
#5 This Blue Lobster Was Caught Off The Coast Of Portland And Returned To The Water To Continue To Grow. Blue Lobsters Are One In Two Million
NASA states that countless comets and asteroids collided with Earth over billions of years, “enriching our planet with water.” It’s theorized that most of the water in our oceans came from asteroids.
It’s very likely that Venus may have had our solar system’s first oceans billions of years ago. However, due to a lack of a strong global magnetic field and a runaway greenhouse effect, the water may have boiled and escaped into space via solar wind.
#7 The Pacific Ocean Takes Up Half The Earth. A Different Perspective Of Its Sheer Scale
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains that the ocean is the largest living space on our planet, covering nearly 70% of the Earth’s surface.
“It seems that perhaps we ought to know a bit more about the planet we call home. But we don’t…” Currently, humankind has explored just 5% of our planet’s ocean, with 95% still unexplored.
According to NOAA, the ocean is an interconnected network of animals, plants, rocks, and other structures, so changes in one component of the ecosystem can have “dramatic impacts on the ecosystem as a whole.”
Furthermore, people can affect many changes in the ocean as well, whether intentionally or by accident. As such, it’s important to be aware of how we use the ocean’s resources.
#13 A 392-Year-Old Greenland Shark In The Arctic Ocean Has Been Wandering The Ocean Since 1627
NOAA points out that it’s difficult to manage the world’s oceans and its resources if we simply don’t know what’s out there. So, by focusing more on exploration, we can ensure that the oceans are managed well.
“Oftentimes we don’t think about our limited knowledge of the deep ocean until after disaster strikes and it’s too late. An oil spill or a missing airplane can quickly demonstrate both how little we know about these environments and how difficult it is to get timely, actionable information about deep-water areas,” the Administration explains.
“Deep reaches of the ocean are places with almost freezing temperatures, corrosive saltwater, limited or no light, and extreme pressures. Not only do we not always know what’s there, we often are lacking the tools and technology needed to get to these extreme places,” NOAA states.
