More than two-thirds of our planet is covered by oceans, making them a dominant feature of Earth.
Located in the Pacific Ocean, it plunges to about 36,070 feet (10,994 meters).
The majority of the planet’s water is saline and found in the five major oceans.
Marine plants, especially phytoplankton, are major contributors to global oxygen production.
The deep sea remains one of Earth’s most mysterious and least understood areas.
It covers more area than all of the land on Earth combined.
Tectonic plates are moving apart at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, expanding the ocean each year.
It absorbs heat and redistributes it around the planet via ocean currents.
Despite being on our planet, most of the seafloor remains a mystery.
Many marine species produce their own light for communication or hunting.
They support about 25% of all marine life despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor.
Seamounts and mid-ocean ridges span thousands of miles across the ocean floor.
Underwater currents can create cascading flows, such as the Denmark Strait cataract.
In water, sound moves about four times faster than in the atmosphere.
The blue whale, which can grow over 100 feet long, lives in ocean waters.
It's defined by ocean currents and is the only sea without a coastline.
Creatures like the hadal snailfish thrive under immense pressure in deep trenches.
Salt is carried from land by rivers and streams that erode rocks over time.
Many volcanoes lie beneath the ocean’s surface, including entire volcanic chains.
The gravitational pull of the moon and sun creates tidal patterns in the ocean.
It acts as a massive carbon sink, influencing Earth’s climate balance.
These deep-sea vents host life that thrives without sunlight, using chemical energy instead.
It stretches over 2,300 kilometers along the northeast coast of Australia.
The Gulf Stream moves warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to Western Europe.
Thermoclines and haloclines separate water layers by heat and salt concentration.
These massive waves are unpredictable and can reach heights over 80 feet.
Plankton form the base of the oceanic food chain and are essential to marine ecosystems.
Earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions can trigger massive ocean waves.
Though not part of the ocean, it’s one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth.
Increased CO₂ levels are lowering ocean pH, affecting coral and shellfish.
It’s mostly covered with sea ice and has unique ecosystems adapted to the cold.
Some, like the Monterey Canyon, are deeper than the Grand Canyon.
They are among the oldest living creatures on Earth.
It appears blue because it reflects the color of the sky and absorbs other wavelengths of light.
Natural oil seeps account for nearly half of the oil in the ocean.
Areas with little oxygen, often caused by pollution, where marine life cannot survive.
Freshwater ice is less dense than salt water, which allows icebergs to float.
Waves, tides, and currents are always reshaping coastlines and circulating water globally.