The Importance of the World’s Oceans
There are four major oceans around the world: the Atlantic, Arctic, Indian, and Pacific Indian, all of which cover around 70% of the surface of our planet.
Source: Wikimedia
A staggering 97% of all water on Earth is found in the world’s oceans. These oceans are a valuable source of oxygen, medicine, and food and are integral to the ecosystem and longevity of the entire planet.
A World Without the Oceans
It’s difficult to imagine a world without the oceans, as roughly 40% of the world’s population relies on them for sustenance and nutrition. Oceans have long been at the forefront of humanity’s journey through evolution, playing an integral role throughout.
Source: Wikimedia
However, what would the world really look like without oceans? A group of scientists from NASA recently answered this question, and it’s as fascinating and terrifying as you might assume.
NASA Scientific Visualization Studio
Researchers from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio recently created an animation that portrays the world without its vital oceans. This short video clip allows viewers to better understand how much of our world is covered by the oceans.
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NASA’s Visualization Studio is located at the iconic Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The team specializes in creating unique animations and images that help us better understand our world and the universe.
A Collection of Experts Create a World Without Oceans
The unique animation involved scientists and researchers from various disciplines, including astronomers, climatologists, cartographers, and 3D modeling experts.
Source: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio
The final animation is very realistic and provides viewers with several maps that portray a progressive lowering of the world’s oceans. Continents are extended, small islands begin to appear, and eventually, the oceans all but disappear, leaving behind nothing but dry land.
NASA Studio Shares Interesting Details
NASA explained what would happen as the world’s oceans slowly disappeared. As the water level slowly drops, certain things appear out of the water. At a depth of around 460 ft, the world’s continental shelves can be observed.
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Whereas once the water level dropped below 6,500 to 10,000 ft below sea level, mid-ocean ridges would be revealed, a site seldom witnessed by human eyes.
The Bottom of the Oceans
According to NASA, once the water levels dropped below 19,685 ft, the bottoms of most of the world’s oceans could be seen in all directions.
Source: Freepik
However, this does exclude some of the deepest ocean trenches on Earth, including the Mariana Trench, found in the Pacific Ocean. The bottom of this could not be seen until the water level reached below a staggering 35,763 ft.
What Would Happen if the World's Oceans Disappeared?
While it’s purely theoretical, the disappearance of the world’s oceans would have obvious and unforeseen consequences, drastically affecting the lives of all living things on Earth.
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The world’s oceans play an integral role in the water cycle. They supply the Earth with substantial amounts of fresh oxygen while holding large amounts of carbon dioxide. They also help regulate the climate and provide billions with fresh food.
Exploring the World Under Ours
Humans have only explored around 5% of our ocean, which means that if these bodies of water were to vanish, researchers could possibly explore the other 95%.
Source: Freepik
There’s no denying the marvelous discoveries that could be made underwater, from ancient shipwrecks full of treasure to ancient civilizations buried deep beneath the waves. However, the consequences of losing the oceans far outweigh the benefits.
The Oceans Are Here to Stay
According to experts, however, this is not a problem we need to worry about, as the oceans won’t be disappearing anytime soon. In fact, the oceans are actually increasing in size and have been since the 19th century, according to ESSA News.
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Since the 1800s, global sea levels around the world have increased by close to 8 inches. Scientists have predicted that the increasing temperatures being reported around the world will allow the oceans to continue rising.
Oceans on the Rise
According to a report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2019, experts determined that the oceans rose by around 0.14 inches between 2006 and 2015.
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While this may not appear to be a sufficient rise, the experts explained that the rate at which it rose is 2.5 times faster than it did from 1901 to 1990. Their research suggests that by the end of the 21st century, the oceans will have risen by around 1 foot compared to levels observed in 2000.
Combating Climate Change
So, while there’s no chance that the oceans will evaporate anytime soon, scientists are worried that rising sea levels exacerbated by climate change could place numerous seaside settlements in grave danger.
Source: Freepik
According to the researchers, fighting climate change over the next few decades is important, and all world governments must ensure they are actively making efforts to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.