Have you ever heard that the majority of our planet’s surface is covered by oceans? Another thing you probably haven’t heard is that sea waves can move at hundreds of miles per hour or that the ocean’s depths are home to millions of tons of gold. Below are some mind-blowing facts about the Oceans of the world.
The Ocean is Home To About 95 Percent Of Living Creatures
With so much going on well below the surface, it’s easy to forget that the oceans are teeming with life. In fact, 94 percent of life is aquatic, according to the USA Science & Engineering Festival. That means those of us who live on land are part of a very, very small minority of the things that make up life.
There’s Enough Gold in The Ocean Each Human To Have At Least 9 Pounds In Quality
There’s around 20 million tons of gold dispersed throughout the oceans. It is, however, diluted pretty much to a pulp, its concentration is only a few parts per trillion, according to the National Ocean Service. The ocean floor also has undissolved gold embedded in it, but it’s not cost-effective to mine it. However, if the ocean’s gold were equally distributed among every person on earth, we’d each receive nine pounds of gold.
Sharks Have Their Own Underwater “Café.”
Apparently, humans aren’t the only creatures in need of a winter vacation. In 2002, scientists discovered an area in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean, partway between Baja California and Hawaii, where typically coastal great white sharks will migrate to in the winter. The scientists named the spot the White Shark Café and some sharks hang around the area for months before heading back to the coast for warmer weather. Is that not interesting?
The Planet’s Longest Mountain Range Is Underwater and is 10 Times Longer Than The Andes
The longest mountain range above water is the Andes, which is about 4,300 miles long. The actual longest mountain range on Earth, however, is the Mid-Oceanic Ridge, which snakes between all continents and clocks in at around 40,390 miles long.
The Pacific Is Wider Than The Moon
At its widest point, from Indonesia all the way to Colombia, the Pacific Ocean is wider than the moon, by quite a lot. This expanse of ocean is 12,300 miles across, which is more than five times the diameter of the moon!
One Iceberg Could Supply A Million People With Drinking Water For Five Years
A large iceberg from Antarctica contains more than 20 billion gallons of water, which could conceivably supply one million people with drinking water for five years. But this piece of information isn’t just a great way to illustrate how massive these icebergs are.
A company in the United Arab Emirates is actually planning to begin towing icebergs from Antarctica to the coast for exactly this reason. The country receives, on average, just four inches of rainfall each year, and is at risk of serious drought in the next 25 years, but may be able to solve the problem with this iceberg water solution.
