5 things you may not have known about the ocean. 1. While its commonly known that the ocean covers something like 71% of our planets surface, it contains within it 99% of the habitable space on earth. Within this 99% as much as 95% of the life on earth is found.   2. 90% of the ocean is considered “deep” (over 2000 meters) and the average depth of the ocean is around 3795 meters. The deepest point (the Challenger Deep) is 10,916 meters. That’s as much as 1.23 Mount Everests. The pressure of the water on top of you at this point is equivalent to supporting 50 Jumbo Jets by yourself.   3. Only 10% of the sea has been explored by humans. In this 10%, around 200000 species have been described: it is estimated that as much as 30 million species may remain undiscovered.   4. The largest animal ever to live on this earth is the Blue Whale, measuring in at 30 meters long and weighing 180 tonnes (although the Bootlace Worm can grow longer than a blue whale, with some being measured at 50 meters long and 10 cm wide). It is also one of the fastest aquatic animals, reaching speeds of 50 km/h (the fastest are Sailfish, clocking in at 110 km/h)   5. The ocean is being destroyed at an alarming rate: More oil reaches the oceans as a result of leaking cars every year than the BP spill, and as much trash is dumped in the oceans each year as fish are taken out. Around 100 million sharks are killed yearly, 30% of these for their fins and the rest as by-catch.

5 things you may not have known about the ocean.

1.

While its commonly known that the ocean covers something like 71% of our planets surface, it contains within it 99% of the habitable space on earth. Within this 99% as much as 95% of the life on earth is found.

 

2.

90% of the ocean is considered “deep” (over 2000 meters) and the average depth of the ocean is around 3795 meters. The deepest point (the Challenger Deep) is 10,916 meters. That’s as much as 1.23 Mount Everests. The pressure of the water on top of you at this point is equivalent to supporting 50 Jumbo Jets by yourself.

 

3.

Only 10% of the sea has been explored by humans. In this 10%, around 200000 species have been described: it is estimated that as much as 30 million species may remain undiscovered.

 

4.

The largest animal ever to live on this earth is the Blue Whale, measuring in at 30 meters long and weighing 180 tonnes (although the Bootlace Worm can grow longer than a blue whale, with some being measured at 50 meters long and 10 cm wide). It is also one of the fastest aquatic animals, reaching speeds of 50 km/h (the fastest are Sailfish, clocking in at 110 km/h)

 

5.

The ocean is being destroyed at an alarming rate: More oil reaches the oceans as a result of leaking cars every year than the BP spill, and as much trash is dumped in the oceans each year as fish are taken out. Around 100 million sharks are killed yearly, 30% of these for their fins and the rest as by-catch.

2011 - Shark attack year?

A few days ago University of Florida released its annual shark attack report, and shark attacks are declining. Interestingly, shark attack fatalities are highest they’ve been in almost 20 years. Out of 75 attacks last year, 12 were fatal (16%), which doubles 2010s mere 7% (bearing in mind there were 79 confirmed shark attacks 2010).

Why?

Well, i have a couple of ideas. For starters, people are travelling more often and to more remote areas. It’s a lot easier to survive a shark attack if you don’t bleed to death before you get to the hospital: a lot of deaths attributed to sharks are as a result of blood loss. Sharks more often than not let go of people when they realize we’re not food.  

Secondly, as global warming and overfishing increase, pray is becoming increasingly scarce for sharks, and they may simply strike out of extreme hunger (and will probably not let go of you as they’re quite intent on eating you, resulting in imminent death).

You shouldn’t be afraid to get in the water though: fact is you’re more likely to be killed pretty much by anything (or anyone, for that matter, in the US alone approximately 15000 people were murdered in 2011) else; last year 26 people were killed by lightning and in the UK 171 people died from work related injuries. You’re more likely to end up dead in a car accident on our way to the dive site, so no worries.

Above: the four sharks that are most commonly found to be aggressive towards humans. Left to right, Top to Bottom: Bull, Great White, Oceanic White Tip & Tiger Shark.

While this may appear to be an art project of some kind, these Carrier Shells like to collect shells. As they grow they attach small shells or stones to their own shells.

This Conspicuous Sea Cucumber (not because it looks conspicuous, that’s its actual name), Opheodesoma spectabilis, has been found to grow up to 2 meters long. Interesting fact: Sea cucumbers can (as a defence mechanism) discharge all of their organs out of their anus only to regenerate them later.

This Conspicuous Sea Cucumber (not because it looks conspicuous, that’s its actual name), Opheodesoma spectabilis, has been found to grow up to 2 meters long. Interesting fact: Sea cucumbers can (as a defence mechanism) discharge all of their organs out of their anus only to regenerate them later.

The most abundant organism in our oceans. Any guesses? no?

Marine Viruses are actually the most abundant and diverse organism in the marine environment: There are an estimated 10^30 virons in our ocean, that is, 10000000000000000000000000000000. If you laid them all out in a line, it’d stretch for 200 million light years. For every milliliter of sea water, there are 50 million viruses. 

They’re an incredibly important part of the marine ecosystem, every day killing 20% of the biomass, but only very few have ever been classified and properly studied. 

Above: a virus on a coccolithophore, a type of phytoplankton (the dot on the sphere to the right), and C. roenbergensis virus the second largest virus ever found and the largest marine virus.

Did you know that seamounts (more or less underwater mountains) have enough gravitational pull to cause localised elevations in sea level in the middle of the open ocean?

I mentioned the Sperm Whale was the second loudest animal, so as cog-nito so wisely asked, you may wonder: which is the loudest animal?

Well, it’s about 400 times smaller than the sperm whale, and it’s called the Tiger Pistol Shrimp, or Alpheus bellusus. This is an incredibly cool little thing.

It’s called a Pistol Shrimp because it uses a sonic gun to kill its prey (often smaller shrimp species). As it clicks its one oversized claw together, it produces bubbles - these bubbles momentarily reach temperatures of over 4000 degrees c. (hotter than the sun) as they collapse and create a shockwave that can reach sound levels of just over 200 decibels (comparatively, a jet engine at full blast is around 140). Pretty amazing for such a small creatures.

It’s often seen with fish Gobies as they have a symbiotic relationship with these in which they share burrows.

Ever wonder how Cetaceans stay hydrated?  Fact is, they don’t actually drink water, they get all water from their food. A Cetacean almost never dies from starvation, dehydration will get to it before.

Ever wonder how Cetaceans stay hydrated? 

Fact is, they don’t actually drink water, they get all water from their food. A Cetacean almost never dies from starvation, dehydration will get to it before.

while I’m off topic, here’s something slightly off topic. Research has shown that great white sharks like to get closer to humans, in a less aggressive manner, while being played AC/DCs you shook me all night long. Scientists think this is because of the low frequency sound waves, but trial and error has shown this song to be the best.

while I’m off topic, here’s something slightly off topic.

Research has shown that great white sharks like to get closer to humans, in a less aggressive manner, while being played AC/DCs you shook me all night long. Scientists think this is because of the low frequency sound waves, but trial and error has shown this song to be the best.

When you go swimming in the sea, you would probably not like to go in less than 15 degrees or so. Not for long anyways.  The average temperature of the ocean is 2 degrees Celsius.  Rather chilly. The image above is satellite imagery showing the surface temperature of the worlds ocean; blue is colder, red is warmer.

When you go swimming in the sea, you would probably not like to go in less than 15 degrees or so. Not for long anyways. 

The average temperature of the ocean is 2 degrees Celsius.  Rather chilly.

The image above is satellite imagery showing the surface temperature of the worlds ocean; blue is colder, red is warmer.

Shoaling and schooling. A shoal of fish, a school of fish. Whats the difference? apparently they get confused.

A shoal of fish stay together, simply, for social reason. If they all happen to be swimming in the same direction and exhibiting similar behaviours, then they’re schooling. That’s of course the simple definition, there’s a whole science behind this.

Above: a shoal of Surgeon Fish.

Below: a school of Blue Fin Tuna.

Did you know, that while coral reefs only cover 0.5% of the marine habitats, they sustain over 25% of marine life?

Did you know, that while coral reefs only cover 0.5% of the marine habitats, they sustain over 25% of marine life?