When people look at a map of Earth, they often call it “the planet.” But in reality, Earth could easily be called the Ocean Planet. About 97% of all the water on Earth is found in the oceans, covering more than 70% of the planet’s surface. The oceans are massive, powerful, and full of mysteries humanity is still trying to understand. The ocean plays a huge role in keeping life alive. It produces over half of the oxygen we breathe, controls weather patterns, and helps regulate the Earth’s temperature. Without the ocean, life on Earth would not survive. What surprises many people is that humans have explored only a small part of the deep ocean. Scientists believe there are thousands of unknown species living beneath the surface. Some parts of the ocean remain more mysterious than outer space. The ocean also feeds billions of people and supports millions of jobs around the world. However, pollution, plastic waste, and climate change are putting marine life in danger. Every year, sea animals die from pollution caused by humans.
