Ocean

The ocean is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the world ocean is conventionally divided. Separate names are used to identify five different areas of the ocean: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic/Southern, and Arctic. Seawater covers approximately 361,000,000 km² of the planet. The ocean is the principal component of Earth's hydrosphere, and therefore integral to life on Earth. Acting as a huge heat reservoir, the ocean influences climate and weather patterns, the carbon cycle, and the water cycle. Oceanographers divide the ocean into different vertical and horizontal zones based on physical and biological conditions. The pelagic zone consists of the water column from surface to ocean floor throughout the open ocean. The water column is further categorized in other zones depending on depth and on how much light is present.

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The Ocean Is Getting Darker, Threatening All That Lives Within

'Lost City' Deep Beneath The Ocean Is Unlike Anything We've Seen Before on Earth

21% of the Ocean Is Losing Sunlight – What That Means for Marine Life

The ocean seems to be getting darker

Is the ocean getting darker? - EurekAlert!

Bizarre Three-Eyed Predator Hunted The Ocean Half a Billion Years Ago

From tiny worms to giant squid: new global database reveals the hidden power of body size in the ocean - EurekAlert!

Melting Ice Is Changing the Color of the Ocean – And Scientists Are Alarmed

Interactive Map Reveals Ocean Pathways Vital For 109 Species

South Africa Is Getting Lifted out of the Ocean and Scientists Believe They Know Why

Only 0.001% of the deep seafloor visually observed in seventy years, revealing gaps and bias in ocean exploration and global biodiversity understanding - EurekAlert!

Loss of sea ice alters the colors of light in the ocean - EurekAlert!

'Scratching' more than the ocean's surface to map global microplastic movement

Microplastics could be hampering the ocean’s ability to capture carbon

Exploring Europa and Ocean Worlds with ORCAA Cryobots

How will the LA fires affect the ocean? These researchers are racing to find out

Climate change is lifting South Africa out of the ocean - EurekAlert!

Scientists crack ocean’s code for predicting China’s persistent summer rains - EurekAlert!

Colossal squid caught on video for first time, seen swimming nearly 2,000 feet below ocean's surface

Drones and sensors could help predict ocean current shutdown