ThatoceanIt is a vast salt water that covers about 71 percent of the Earth's surface. However, the planet has a global oceanOzeanographand the countries of the world have traditionally divided it into four distinct regions: the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. Beginning in the 20th century, some oceanographers began referring to the seas around Antarctica as the Southern Ocean, and in 2021 National Geographic officially recognized this fifth ocean.
It is estimated that 97 percent of the world's water is found in the ocean. Because of this, the ocean has a significant impact on climate, temperature, and the food supply of humans and others.Organisms. Despite its size and impact on the life of every organism on Earth, the ocean remains a mystery. More than 80 percent of the ocean has never been mapped, explored, or even seen by humans. A far larger percentage of the surfaces of the Moon and the planet Mars have been mapped and studied than our own seabed.
While there is still much more to learn, oceanographers have already made some amazing discoveries. For example, we know that the ocean contains towering mountain ranges and deep canyons known asditcheslike those on earth. The world's tallest mountain, Mount Everest in the Himalayas, at 8.84 kilometers (5.49 miles) high, would not even break the surface of the water if it were found in the Mariana Trench or the Philippine Trench in the Pacific Ocean, two of the deepest would lie . parts of the ocean
On the other hand, the Atlantic Ocean is relatively shallow for much of itseabedThey are made up of continental shelves, parts of the continents that extend far out to sea. The average depth of the entire ocean is 3,720 meters (12,200 feet).
It is not known how many different onesspeciesCall the sea your home. with manymarine ecosystemsSuffering from rising sea temperatures, pollution and other problems, some oceanographers believe species numbers are declining. Still, many positive surprises could await oceanographers in the coming years. It could be that more than 90 percent of the species in the ocean have yet to be discovered, and some scientists estimate there are anywhere from a few hundred thousand to a few million more to be discovered. Currently, scientists know about 226,000 oceanic species.
Learning more about the seafloor and the rest of the ocean is National Geographic researcher Marcello Calisti's passion. He is afrom biorobotExpert who develops a submarineexplorationVehicle that uses "legged locomotion" inspired by the way an octopus moves underwater. His long-term goal is to design robots that can explore depths that are difficult for humans to reach.
Because the ocean is so vast, there is much to explore and discover for future oceanographers from all corners of the world.
FAQs
What are the 7 seas and 5 oceans list? ›
The Seven Seas include the Arctic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian, and Southern oceans. The exact origin of the phrase 'Seven Seas' is uncertain, although there are references in ancient literature that date back thousands of years.
Why was the Antarctic ocean renamed? ›National Geographic decided to designate the Antarctic waters as its own ocean (instead of merely southern parts the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific) to bring awareness to, and promote conservation of the waters.
What is the ocean National Geographic? ›The ocean is a continuous body of salt water that covers more than 70 percent of the Earth's surface. Ocean currents govern the world's weather and churn a kaleidoscope of life. Humans depend on these teeming waters for comfort and survival, but global warming and overfishing threaten Earth's largest habitat.
Is National Geographic Society owned by Disney? ›A joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, National Geographic Partners combines the global National Geographic television channels with National Geographic's media and consumer-oriented assets.
What is the biggest ocean of the world? ›The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of the world ocean basins. Covering approximately 63 million square miles and containing more than half of the free water on Earth, the Pacific is by far the largest of the world's ocean basins. All of the world's continents could fit into the Pacific basin.
What is difference between a sea and an ocean? ›In terms of geography, seas are smaller than oceans and are usually located where the land and ocean meet. Typically, seas are partially enclosed by land. Seas are found on the margins of the ocean and are partially enclosed by land.
What was Antarctica called before the ice? ›The history of Antarctica emerges from early Western theories of a vast continent, known as Terra Australis, believed to exist in the far south of the globe.
Why is Antarctica not claimed? ›Antarctica doesn't belong to anyone. There is no single country that owns Antarctica. Instead, Antarctica is governed by a group of nations in a unique international partnership. The Antarctic Treaty, first signed on December 1, 1959, designates Antarctica as a continent devoted to peace and science.
What is the only ocean to be named after a country? ›Indian Ocean is the only ocean to be named after India. The Indian Ocean is the world's third largest ocean, after the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. Q.
Who is the founder of ocean geography? ›The first superintendent of the United States Naval Observatory (1842–1861), Matthew Fontaine Maury devoted his time to the study of marine meteorology, navigation, and charting prevailing winds and currents. His 1855 textbook Physical Geography of the Sea was one of the first comprehensive oceanography studies.
Why ocean matters Nat Geo? ›
With every breath we take, every drop we drink, we're connected to the ocean. Our planet depends on the vitality of the ocean to support and sustain it. But our ocean faces major threats: global climate change, pollution, habitat destruction, invasive species, and a dramatic decrease in ocean fish stocks.
Why do we only know 5% of the ocean? ›Another reason for the relatively small amount of ocean we have explored is that, at great depths, exploration conditions become extreme. The so-called “sunlight zone” ends at about 200 meters below the surface, making imaging much trickier, and pressure is extremely high.
Does Disney Plus subscription include National Geographic? ›Consumers are able to sign-up for National Geographic Premium with Disney+ today at natgeo.com/premium, immediately access premium content on the site and unlock the vast library of content on Disney+. For more information, visit natgeo.com/premium.
Is National Geographic still a nonprofit? ›The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.
What happened to National Geographic? ›In December 2017, a deal was announced for Disney to acquire 21st Century Fox, including the interest in National Geographic Partners. The acquisition was completed in March 2019. NG Media publishing unit was operationally transferred into Disney Publishing Worldwide.
What is the coldest ocean on Earth? ›Southern Ocean
It is also known as the Antarctic Ocean as it surrounds Antarctica. It is the coldest and wildest ocean in the world.
Of the five ocean basins, the Atlantic Ocean is the saltiest. On average, there is a distinct decrease of salinity near the equator and at both poles, although for different reasons. Near the equator, the tropics receive the most rain on a consistent basis.
Which ocean is the deepest? ›The deepest part of the ocean is called the Challenger Deep and is located beneath the western Pacific Ocean in the southern end of the Mariana Trench, which runs several hundred kilometers southwest of the U.S. territorial island of Guam.
Is the Dead Sea not a sea? ›Why is it called the Dead Sea? Despite its name, the Dead Sea is actually not a sea, but a hypersaline lake. Why is it called the Dead Sea? Because no life forms (plants or living creatures) could survive in its waters, although it does contain microbial life.
What are 7 oceans of the world? ›- the Arctic Ocean.
- the North Atlantic Ocean.
- the South Atlantic Ocean.
- the Indian Ocean.
- the North Pacific Ocean.
- the South Pacific Ocean.
- the Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean.
Is drinking ocean water good for you? ›
Drinking seawater can be deadly to humans.
Seawater contains salt. When humans drink seawater, their cells are thus taking in water and salt. While humans can safely ingest small amounts of salt, the salt content in seawater is much higher than what can be processed by the human body.
- the Arctic Ocean.
- the North Atlantic Ocean.
- the South Atlantic Ocean.
- the Indian Ocean.
- the North Pacific Ocean.
- the South Pacific Ocean.
- the Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean.
The 5 ocean names are the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean.
Where is the coldest water on Earth? ›A “supercoolometer”, a device that sounds like it should be used to measure hipsters, has found the coldest seawater on Earth, under Antarctic sea ice.
Does Earth have a 5th ocean? ›There is only one global ocean.
Historically, there are four named oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. However, most countries - including the United States - now recognize the Southern (Antarctic) as the fifth ocean. The Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian are the most commonly known.
While the other oceans are defined by the continents that fence them in, the Southern Ocean is defined by a current. Scientists estimate that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) was established roughly 34 million years ago, when Antarctica separated from South America.
Is there a 6th ocean? ›Earth has a sixth ocean, a new study suggests, but not where you can see. It's hundreds of kilometres below the surface. The international study published in Nature Geoscience says this vast reservoir of water is located in the so-called transition zone between the upper and lower mantle at a depth of 410 to 660 kms.
Which one is the smallest ocean in the world? ›The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five ocean basins. A polar bear walks on the frozen surface of the Arctic Ocean. The freezing environment provides a home for a diverse range of creatures. With an area of about 6.1 million square miles , the Arctic Ocean is about 1.5 times as big as the United States.
Why is the ocean blue? ›The ocean is blue because water absorbs colors in the red part of the light spectrum. Like a filter, this leaves behind colors in the blue part of the light spectrum for us to see. The ocean may also take on green, red, or other hues as light bounces off of floating sediments and particles in the water.
Which is deeper the ocean or the sea? ›Generally, the ocean is much deeper than the sea even if some seas can be almost as deep as big oceans. To give you a few examples, the depth of the Channel is 174m, the one of the North Sea is 700m and for the Black Sea it is 2,212m.
Which is saltiest sea in the world? ›
The correct option is D Dead Sea.
What is the largest sea in North America? ›The Gulf of Mexico is the largest gulf in the world.