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Oceanography Facts

Oceanography Facts
Oceanography is also known as marine science, and is an earth science that includes the study of ocean ecosystems, ocean currents, waves, marine organisms, plate tectonics, and sea floor geology, and the ocean's physical properties. The study of the oceans began in pre-historic times and information about the tides was recorded by Strabo and Aristotle in their observations and writings. Due to the fact that approximately 70% of the surface of the earth is covered by oceans there is a lot of information about oceans to be researched, studied, and explored. In total the oceans account for approximately 97% of the water on earth.
Interesting Oceanography Facts:
It is believed that approximately 95% of the oceans are yet unexplored. Scientists know more about the moon and Mars then they do about the ocean.
The first person to study the Gulf Stream scientifically was Benjamin Franklin.
There are hundreds of earthquakes around the world every day but most are under the water of the oceans.
Some of these earthquakes cause tsunamis which are giant underwater waves. If these waves reach land they can result in massive destruction and death.
The water in the ocean is not drinkable because it is salt water.
The Mid-Ocean Ridge is the longest mountain range in the world and it located under the ocean. It is more than 45,000 miles long and winds around the globe.
The world's deepest place is the Mariana Trench at 36,201 feet deep located in the Pacific Ocean near Indonesia.
The first textbook about oceanography was called the Physical Geography of the Sea. It was written by Matthew Fontaine Maury in 1855.
The country with the longest ocean coastline is Canada, with 56,453 miles of coastline length.
There is gold suspended in seawater. Mining it from the seawater has not been possible as of yet. If it was possible it is estimated that every person on earth could have nine pounds of gold.
The Antarctica is melting due to global warming. This is resulting in rising sea levels. If global warming does not stop, the melting glaciers will result in flooding in cities that are on the coasts and that are not high enough above sea levels. Some of these cities include New York, London, and Mumbai.
Oceanographers believe that the ocean floors are only about 200 million years old while the continents are about 2-3 billion years old.
The highest ocean tide in the world is in the Bay of Fundy on Canada's east coast. It can range as much as 53.5 feet in the spring.
Ocean tides in Alaska can range as much as 40 feet.
Ocean waves can be caused by the wind, by earthquakes, and by other underwater phenomena.
The largest fish in the oceans, and in the world, is the whale shark which can grow longer than 40 feet.
The smallest fish in the world is the dwarf goby which is only 0.3 inches long.
The oceans' coral reefs are ranked second in terms of biodiversity of species. The world's rainforests rank first.


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