The ocean is a huge torso of saltwater that covers about 71 pct of Earth's surface. The planet has i global sea, though oceanographers and the countries of the globe have traditionally divided it into four distinct regions: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic oceans. Get-go in the 20th century, some oceanographers labeled the seas around Antarctica the Southern ocean, and in 2021 National Geographic officially recognized this fifth ocean.

An estimated 97 percentage of the earth's h2o is plant in the ocean. Because of this, the bounding main has considerable bear upon on weather, temperature, and the food supply of humans and other organisms. Despite its size and impact on the lives of every organism on Earth, the ocean remains a mystery. More 80 per centum of the sea has never been mapped, explored, or even seen by humans. A far greater percentage of the surfaces of the moon and the planet Mars has been mapped and studied than of our own ocean flooring.

Although there is much more than to learn, oceanographers have already made some amazing discoveries. For instance, nosotros know that the body of water contains towering mountain ranges and deep canyons, known as trenches, just similar those on state. The height of the world'southward tallest mountain—Mount Everest in the Himalaya, measuring 8.84 kilometers (v.49 miles) high—would not even break the surface of the water if it was placed in the Pacific Body of water's Mariana Trench or Philippine Trench, two of the deepest parts of the ocean.

On the other paw, the Atlantic Ocean is relatively shallow considering big parts of its seafloor are made upward of continental shelves—parts of the continents that extend far out into the body of water. The boilerplate depth of the entire ocean is three,720 meters (12,200 anxiety).

It is unknown how many different species phone call the ocean their domicile. With many marine ecosystems suffering from rising sea temperatures, pollution, and other bug, some oceanographers believe the number of species is dropping. Still, in that location may be many positive surprises awaiting oceanographers in the years alee. It could exist that more than 90 percentage of the ocean'southward species are still undiscovered, with some scientists estimating that there are anywhere between a few hundred thousand and a few 1000000 more to exist discovered. Currently, scientists know of around 226,000 body of water species.

Learning more about the seafloor and the balance of the sea is the passion of National Geographic Explorer Marcello Calisti. He is a biorobotics expert who is developing an undersea exploration vehicle that uses "legged locomotion," inspired by the mode an octopus moves under water. His long-range goal is to blueprint robots that tin explore the depths that are difficult for humans to accomplish.

Since the ocean is so vast, there is plenty for future oceanographers from all corners of the earth to explore and find.

Ocean

The body of water covers more than than 70 per centum of World, and more than than 80 percent of it remains unexplored.

biorobotics

Substantive

field of robotics that specializes in creating robots that operate like living organisms

Noun

part of a continent that extends underwater to the deep-ocean flooring.

exploration

Noun

study and investigation of unknown places, concepts, or problems.

marine ecosystem

Noun

community of living and nonliving things in the ocean.

Substantive

large body of salt water that covers virtually of the World.

oceanographer

Noun

person who studies the bounding main.

organism

Noun

living or in one case-living matter.

seafloor

Noun

surface layer of the bottom of the ocean.

species

Noun

group of similar organisms that can reproduce with each other.

trench

Noun

long, deep low, either natural or man-made.

  • Credits

    Media Credits

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    Director

    Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society

    Author

    National Geographic Society

    Production Managers

    Gina Borgia, National Geographic Social club
    Jeanna Sullivan, National Geographic Gild

    Program Specialists

    Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Lodge
    Margot Willis, National Geographic Gild

    Producer

    Clint Parks

    Last Updated

    Oct. 21, 2019

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