As we spread and settle on land that was once wilderness, there seems little left on Earth to explore. We know that space is still a vast, mysterious frontier. But we seldom think of the oceans as watery terra incognita, blinkered as we are by our land view.
However, the sea floor is an extension of the land. It has mountains, valleys and plains, although they are hidden by seawater. Little is known about the deep recesses of either the sea or the sea bed.
Yet the oceans and seas play a vital role in sustaining life. They cover nearly three-quarters of Earth's surface, provide around half the oxygen we breathe, and are an important source of protein for a rapidly growing world population.
We need to know much more about the oceanic world because pollution, overfishing and acidification from excessive absorption of carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels and clearing forests are changing the seas, perhaps irrevocably and certainly in ways that make them less productive. Read More
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