We live on a blue planet. The ocean covers nearly three-quarters of the Earth's surface. The prevailing theory for the origin of life points to hydrothermal vents deep beneath the ocean's surface as the home of the first single-celled organisms. Today, nearly forty percent of the world's population lives within sixty miles of a coastline. More than three billion people rely on seafood as a significant source of protein in their diet. And, perhaps most importantly, the ocean plays a central role in shaping our planet's climate. Currents in the ocean drive weather patterns on land, making otherwise inhospitable geographies livable for humans.
展开▼
