Ocean Exploration Facts
The ocean exploration facts in this section provide short answers to common or intriguing ocean questions. The questions are organized in a series of categories; click on a category to learn more about these topics.
For many ocean exploration facts, content has been repurposed from essays posted elsewhere on the website; to access the original content, click on links available on individual ocean fact pages.
Organisms living in the deep ocean must be adapted to survive under extreme pressure, limited light, cold temperatures, and other factors.
The ocean is vast, yet only a tiny fraction has been explored.
Marine organisms produce over half of the oxygen that land animals currently need to breathe.
The “Ring of Fire” is a string of underwater volcanoes and earthquake sites around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.
The deep ocean is generally defined as the depth at which light begins to dwindle, typically around 200 meters (656 feet).
Marine snow is mostly biological debris that originates from the top layers of the ocean and drifts to the seafloor, providing a primary source of energy for animals in the deep ocean.
Marine microbes are tiny, single-celled organisms that live in the ocean and account for more than 98 percent of ocean biomass.
Topographic maps show elevation of landforms above sea level; bathymetric maps show depths of landforms below sea level.
The ocean influences weather and climate by storing solar radiation, distributing heat and moisture around the globe, and driving weather systems.
A seamounts is an underwater mountain with steep sides rising from the seafloor.
'AUV' stands for autonomous underwater vehicle; they are unmanned, untethered vehicles used to conduct underwater research.
Yes; while most drugs derived from natural sources currently come from terrestrial (land-based) organisms, research suggests that the ocean, with its amazing biodiversity and large number of yet-undiscovered species, may be a rich source for new medicines.