Tall chimneys build up as the blazing hot stuff hits the icy water. The bacteria from the deep sea could be used to help in medicine and to clean the environment. Rock samples from the ocean floor help scientists understand what happened when a meteor hit the earth millions of years ago and give them new ideas about the Ice Age. They make maps of the ocean floor, study the life and death of coral reefs, and keep track of ocean currents. Oceanographers work at sea, in floating laboratories, on land, and along the coast to collect information about the temperature and chemistry of the water, undersea land formations, and what it all means for weather, wildlife, and the environment.
Oceanographers sometimes go underwater.
They use a submarine to look for deep sea vents and chimneys 1 miles below the ocean's surface. An oceanographer spends a lot of time studying the information she collects and coming up with new ideas. This means using math and computers to understand how the oceans work. They also work with other scientists, such as geologists and marine biologists. Many oceanographers like the idea of going back and forth between the ocean and the laboratory.