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The ocean covers 71 percent of the Earth's surface and contains 97 percent of the planet's water, yet more than 95 percent of the underwater
world remains unexplored. The ocean and lakes play an integral role in many of the Earth's systems including climate and weather.
The ocean supports the life of nearly 50 percent of all species on Earth and helps sustain that life providing 20 percent of the animal
protein and five percent of the total protein in the human diet. FACT: There are, on average, 35 parts of salt per thousand (3.5%) in sea water. There is more salt in a packet of crisps than in a crisp
packet full of sea water. Color: A common misconception is that the oceans are blue primarily because the sky is blue. In fact, water has a very slight blue color
that can only be seen in large volumes. While the sky's reflection does contribute to the blue appearance of the surface but the primary cause is
the absorption by the water molecules' nuclei of red photons from the incoming light, the only known example of color in nature resulting from
vibrational, rather than electronic, dynamics. To learn more about how the oceans affect the global climate and their importance in climate
change read this short (4 page) description from NASA. Click here.
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