If you could describe the ocean in one word, how would you do it?
Beautiful?
Powerful?
Huge?
Even if you’ve never been to the ocean before and seen it’s majesty, pictures alone can impact the way you view it. For instance, a picture of a pretty sunset stretched out over the water’s horizon might make you think, “Oh, the ocean is so pretty!” But then, when you see a picture of tsunami, its powerful waves crashing against the shore, you might have second thoughts.
There’s a lot to learn about the ocean, and here are some fun facts I thought I’d share!
- Most of the world exists in darkness because of WATER. Because of how vast and deep the oceans and lakes around the world are, more of the world is in continual darkness then it is in light!
- Coral uses sunscreen! When algae steps into the picture with coral, the algae often creates a form of sunscreen that protects the coral from the sun’s bright rays and UV poisoning.
- 50-80% percent of our oxygen comes from the ocean. Most of this oxygen is produced by oceanic plankton and bacteria which converts sunlight into energy and thus oxygen.
- The Pacific Ocean is wider than the moon! The Pacific Ocean has a diameter that is over five times bigger than the moon’s diameter!
- There are millions of shipwrecks out there that we haven’t explored! Who knows what’s down there on the ocean floor, but we just haven’t been able to check it out!
- The word Pacific actually comes from the Latin word ‘pacificus’, and it means peaceful! Or in other words the meaning behind the name Pacific Ocean is ‘peaceful sea’! Crazy, right?!
Did you learn something new?
I sure did! The ocean is incredible, and it makes an amazing setting for a story!
-D.P.
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