Man has set his sights on outer space with all his might, science fiction writers are already drawing pictures of the development of other planets, and what we have "under our feet", sometimes not everyone knows. And if the land was still more or less studied, then practically nothing is known about the depths of the waters. And not everyone can answer a simple question about what the ocean is. Let's patch up holes in education and deal with concepts and definitions.
What is it, the ocean, how is it different from other bodies of water
Almost a third of the planet’s surface (seventy-one percent) is water. It forms the oceans. It, in turn, is divided into smaller parts. We all know them well: seas and bays, rivers and straits - these are its parts. The largest are the oceans. By definition, these are masses of water between continents. There are four of them (although some scholars are inclined to believe that five). The warmest is the Indian Ocean. The largest is Quiet. The Arctic Ocean is mostly covered with glaciers. Atlantic - is characterized by strong currents. The fifth, unrecognized ocean, is allegedly located in the South Pole region. It is not distinguished on the globe and maps. To imagine what the ocean is, it will be easier if you look at the image of the planet from orbit. This is a huge space covered with blue water and white ice. Its signs: the location between the continents, incredible size.
Historical views
In ancient times, people had no idea how much water on the planet. And the development of these open spaces was unrealistic without high technology and modern equipment. In ancient Greece, when asked what the ocean was, they answered - the waters surrounding the known world. More often they were presented in the form of a river flowing around the Earth. Their level of shipping did not allow traveling between the continents, which means it was impossible to compile real data on the greatness of the oceanic expanses. The ideas of mankind began to gradually change with the development of shipbuilding. By the seventeenth century, the first understanding of the real size of the oceans had matured. Although there is evidence that ancient people knew much more about the planet, they just could not save this information. Proof of this is the map of Mercator, which is more than five hundred years old.
Modern views
Scientists believe that the future of mankind is directly related to the oceans. When asked what the ocean is, they lead an endless story about its inexhaustible resources. For example, the water itself. This is the source of mineral elements, which it contains more than seventy-five. Magnesium and iodine, cadmium and gold, bromine and table salt can be distinguished from it. Yes, and fresh water will remain. The fluid reserves are so large that it is hard to imagine. For every inhabitant of the planet, there is a volume equal to 270 million cubic meters. This is approximately two Mozhaisk reservoirs near Moscow. The bottom of the ocean is a source of energy. Most of the gas and oil is produced on the continental shelf. Reserves of these substances, according to scientists, are huge. In the last century, reserves of ferromanganese nodules were discovered. This allows you to think about mining thirty types of metals. Oceans are also a source of energy. It can be obtained from tides, currents. Scientists have calculated that there are twenty-five places on the planet where it is worth building such stations. The shores of the White, Okhotsk and Barents Seas are considered the best.
Biological diversity
The incredibly rapidly growing population of the planet made scientists think about the need to develop food resources. Many turned their eyes toward the oceans. An incredible variety of various creatures swims and breeds there. Fish account for about 14 percent. Most of it is algae. And their use in food is also possible, although not yet common. Now attention has shifted to the development of oceanic farms. They are trying to breed all kinds of marine useful living creatures. The direction is considered promising. Currently, mainly oysters and mussels, kelp are artificially grown. Work on the development of areas of mariculture is carried out by all countries. All that is known about the biosphere of the oceans is coastal areas. More than eighty percent have not been explored, which allows humanity to have high expectations for its ocean future. There are constantly reports of the discovery of new species of living organisms in the depths, as the development of technology makes possible a more detailed study of the seabed.
