The Ocean Wonderopolis
What lives underneath...?
Exploring Earth's aquatic ecosystem!
Those of us who have been lucky enough to see the ocean in person can attest to its enormity and fascinating lure of deep blue (or green) water's begging to be discovered. Whether you have traveled to the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Southern (Antarctic) or Arctic Oceans some may wonder just what is lurking under the surface...way under the surface!
A snapshot of all five oceans
Dragonfish
Deep sea coral in the Smithsonian Collection
There are millions of animals in the Smithsonian collections. Many of the specimens—including these solitary corals—came from the deep ocean. Even though they are dead and colorless, they have a lot to teach us about life in the sea today. For example, deep ocean specimens can tell us where and at what depths particular species live.
Just How Deep Are We Talking?
The ocean is deeper than Mount Everest, at 8,850 meters (29,000 feet tall).
According to NASA (2015) at that depth, the temperature is always just above freezing, the pressure is more than 1000 times what it is on the surface, and many bottom-dwelling fish and invertebrates call it home!
Other fun facts about the sea!
-Under the ocean, you can find many mountain ranges.
-One large Antarctic iceberg could supply all of Los Angeles' water supply for 5 years!
-If you were an alien landing on Earth, you would have about a 60% chance of landing out of sight of land.
-Seven million years ago, when geological forces lifted the Straits of Gibraltar and blocked the flow of Atlantic Ocean water into the Mediterranean, the Mediterranean Basin was completely dry! And in some places its bed lies 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) below sea level.
Can you name at least three underwater creatures in this video?
Help protect our oceans and take action to prevent Arctic drilling
http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2015/10/22/state-of-the-arctic-an-update-on-drilling/
Email: jasonfetveit@gmail.com
Website: http://www.oceanconservancy.org/keep-the-coast-clear/
Phone: 800-519-1541