The sea has always been a lure to sailors and explorers and a source of mystery and fable.
Many nations depend on fishing for sustenance.
The ocean also carries in its currents and tides the potential for terrible destruction. It was once believed that the ocean floor wa s barren of life. Scientists now know that the ocean is teeming with life, and its coral reefs rival rainforests in their rich biodiversity. Oceanographers have only recently begun to survey the bottom of the ocean floor and they have found some surprising things. It was originally believed that, particularly at great depths where the sun's light could not penetrate, the ocean floor would be lifeless.