Ocean

Topicupdated 2025-11-20 18:39
Ocean

The ocean is the vast body of salt water covering over 70% of the Earth's surface. It is conventionally divided into several major basins and is the principal component of the planet's hydrosphere. The ocean is a critical global system, acting as a massive reservoir that regulates Earth's heat, carbon, and water cycles, thereby forming the foundation for worldwide climate and weather patterns.

This body of water is essential to life on Earth. It harbors the majority of the planet's biodiversity, including most of its animal and protist life. Historically, the ocean was the birthplace of photosynthesis, and it continues to supply approximately half of the atmospheric oxygen, making it indispensable for the survival of terrestrial and marine organisms alike.

Recently, the term "ocean" has appeared in news headlines across various contexts. These range from local governance issues, such as park access and utility upgrades in a specific Ocean County, to international energy projects involving offshore wind farms. Scientific discussions also continue, with research into Earth's deep geological history and its "magma ocean" being linked to planetary habitability. Furthermore, the ocean remains a central topic in global environmental policy, with experts emphasizing the role of data in climate change mitigation efforts at major international conferences.

Brief generated by an LLM (DeepSeek) from Wikipedia and recent news headlines.

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