Ocean Learning Hub
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Featured Content
Ocean Encounters: 2026 El Niño
The global implications of a “super” warm ocean in the eastern tropical Pacific
The Global Ocean currents circulation
Discover how the Global Ocean Conveyor circulates heat, salt, nutrients,…
Ocean Encounters: Vital Coasts
Join us for a conversation about the science that helps…
Arteries of the Ocean
Learn more about how the ocean’s complex and chaotic physics…
Ocean Topics
The ocean covers more than two-thirds of Earth's surface, it makes life as we know it possible, and it sustains human society. These topics will help you begin to explore the ocean and its vital importance to Earth and everything that lives on it.
The ocean plays a central—yet underappreciated—role in global climate and regional weather patterns, including droughts, rainstorms, and hurricanes.
Explore how the ocean regulates climate by absorbing carbon, the ways a warming ocean impacts the intensity of storms and the height of the sea, and how scientists study the ocean's climate history.
View all climate & weather topics
Although the oceans cover most of Earth, the the tiny sliver of the coastal ocean greatly influences, and is most influenced by, human activity.
Understanding how the ocean works is foundational to understanding life on this planet and to the discipline of oceanography. Get to know the big systems of the ocean: its cycles, circulation, zones, and connection to the atmosphere. Learn about ocean chemistry, life and landscapes on the seafloor, plate movements, shorelines, and icy regions.
View all how the ocean works topics
The oceans are critical to human life, and ocean scientists are working to investigate the untapped potential of the sea in order to maximize these benefits.
The oceans are critical to human flourishing: they feed and sustain billions of people, and make life as we know it possible. Study the entwined life of humanity and the sea—the impacts of natural disasters, pollution, and harmful algal blooms. Learn how scientists locate shipwrecks, lost planes, and other human artifacts to unearth a historical record and study how ocean life colonizes these materials.
View all ocean & human lives topics
Incredible diversity exists in the ocean, from microscopic organisms to the largest animals on Earth.
Every drop of ocean water holds living things. Across Earth's history, the ocean has nurtured nearly every form of life that has ever existed. Immerse yourself in the diverse ecosystems around coral reefs, the surprising homes of marine microbes, the migrations of giant marine mammals, and the clues embedded in Environmental DNA.
View all ocean life topics
Researchers use a variety of instruments and tools to sample and study the ocean.
View all ocean tech topics
The global ocean provides food, minerals, and other valuable resources for human use.
The global ocean provides food, minerals, and other valuable resources. Read up on the science and technological advances that can inform management of the ocean so that fisheries remain stable, ecosystems that support the food web are protected, new ocean-based energy sources do not harm marine life, and humans can continue to live in harmony with the ocean for generations to come.
View all sustainable ocean topics
Explore Media by Type
Explore ocean science through videos, virtual series, infographics, maps, images, and interactive tools—engaging multimedia for learners of all ages.
Spilhaus Data Composite
Data cycles across a Spilhaus map, revealing temperature-colored currents, bathymetry, plate boundaries, hydrothermal vents, sea ice, and chlorophyll over time.
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Spilhaus Map Morph
The Spilhaus projection offers a unique view of Earth, revealing one interconnected ocean covering 71% of our planet’s surface.
Read More
The Mid-Ocean Ridge on the Spilhaus map
Discover the Mid-Ocean Ridge, Earth’s longest mountain range, where underwater volcanoes create new crust and hydrothermal vents support unique life.
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Sea ice concentration in the Arctic & Antarctica on the Spilhaus map
Earth’s fragile polar regions help regulate climate, support thriving marine ecosystems, and play a vital role in global environmental balance.
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Chlorophyl blooms on the Spilhaus map
Tiny but mighty, phytoplankton fuel marine food webs, absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide, and produce half of Earth’s oxygen.
Read MoreThe Global Ocean currents circulation
Discover how the Global Ocean Conveyor circulates heat, salt, nutrients, and carbon worldwide, shaping climate, sustaining life, and connecting oceans.
Read More
How does kelp fuel the coastal food web?
Tom Bell gives an overview of giant kelp's importance
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The Overlooked Midwater: Deep Dive into the Twilight Zone – virtual event recording
June 4, 2020 - The OTZ Project team participated in the World Economic Forum & Friends of Ocean Action Virtual…
Read MoreSpilhaus Data Composite
Data cycles across a Spilhaus map, revealing temperature-colored currents, bathymetry, plate boundaries, hydrothermal vents, sea ice, and chlorophyll over time.
Read MoreSpilhaus Map Morph
The Spilhaus projection offers a unique view of Earth, revealing one interconnected ocean covering 71% of our planet’s surface.
Read MoreThe Mid-Ocean Ridge on the Spilhaus map
Discover the Mid-Ocean Ridge, Earth’s longest mountain range, where underwater volcanoes create new crust and hydrothermal vents support unique life.
Read MoreSea ice concentration in the Arctic & Antarctica on the Spilhaus map
Earth’s fragile polar regions help regulate climate, support thriving marine ecosystems, and play a vital role in global environmental balance.
Read MoreChlorophyl blooms on the Spilhaus map
Tiny but mighty, phytoplankton fuel marine food webs, absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide, and produce half of Earth’s oxygen.
Read MoreThe Global Ocean currents circulation
Discover how the Global Ocean Conveyor circulates heat, salt, nutrients, and carbon worldwide, shaping climate, sustaining life, and connecting oceans.
Read MoreHow does kelp fuel the coastal food web?
Tom Bell gives an overview of giant kelp's importance
Read MoreThe Overlooked Midwater: Deep Dive into the Twilight Zone – virtual event recording
June 4, 2020 - The OTZ Project team participated in the World Economic Forum & Friends of Ocean Action Virtual…
Read More
Ocean Encounters: 2026 El Niño
The global implications of a “super” warm ocean in the eastern tropical Pacific
Read More
Ocean Encounters: Into the Abyss
Join us to hear about the technologies enabling deep ocean research, what we can learn from mapping the seafloor, and…
Read More
Ocean Encounters: Vital Coasts
Join us for a conversation about the science that helps us understand and protect these remarkable coastal ecosystems.
Read More
Ocean Encounters: Rethinking Ocean Predators
The ocean is home to many of Earth’s most iconic and often feared predators. But did you know that some…
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Ocean Encounters: Titanic and Beyond
From the Titanic's discovery in 1985 to the present day, deep-sea imaging has evolved, revealing breathtaking discoveries from the deep…
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Ocean Encounters: An Ocean of Sound
The ocean echoes with sounds from animals and humans alike. Discover how scientists decode these signals to protect marine life…
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Ocean Encounters: Cities and the Sea
Join us as we explore impacts, adaptations, and new possibilities in urban ocean regions around the world.
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Ocean Encounters: Ice!
Explore icy frontiers on Earth and beyond—discover how life survives, what ice reveals about our past, and where it might…
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Arteries of the Ocean
Learn more about how the ocean’s complex and chaotic physics define life on our planet.
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Change your perspective
Athelstan Spilhaus proposed centering world maps on the ocean, arguing Earth is an interconnected ocean planet—not one defined by London-centric…
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How ocean robots keep tabs on the planet’s health
Learn how the next generation of ocean robots will help solve the planet’s most pressing problems.
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HAB forecasts strengthen communities
Chart showing the benefits of HAB forecasts.
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HAB impacts on fisheries
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) significantly threaten fisheries by reducing fish populations and affecting coastal livelihoods. Recent studies highlight the urgent…
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What goes into a HAB forecast?
Harmful algal bloom (HAB) forecasts rely on a combination of satellite data, water samples, and predictive modeling to track the…
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How bacteria achieve a “quorum”
Bacteria utilize quorum sensing to coordinate collective behavior, a process that allows them to communicate and respond as a unified…
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The Biological Pump
The biological pump converts greenhouse gas that warms Earth climate into organic carbon that is then stored in the depths…
Read MoreArteries of the Ocean
Learn more about how the ocean’s complex and chaotic physics define life on our planet.
Read MoreHAB forecasts strengthen communities
Chart showing the benefits of HAB forecasts.
Read MoreHAB impacts on fisheries
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) significantly threaten fisheries by reducing fish populations and affecting coastal livelihoods. Recent studies highlight the urgent…
Read MoreWhat goes into a HAB forecast?
Harmful algal bloom (HAB) forecasts rely on a combination of satellite data, water samples, and predictive modeling to track the…
Read MoreHow bacteria achieve a “quorum”
Bacteria utilize quorum sensing to coordinate collective behavior, a process that allows them to communicate and respond as a unified…
Read MoreThe Biological Pump
The biological pump converts greenhouse gas that warms Earth climate into organic carbon that is then stored in the depths…
Read More
Radioisotopes Tracking Tuna Migration
Bluefin tuna born before the Fukushima disaster did not have elevated levels of cesium-134, but those caught in August 2011…
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How subterranean water seeps into the continental shelf and into the ocean
When the ice sheets melted, sea levels rose, submerging former coastlines. Aquifers once under land now lie beneath the ocean…
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Antarctica’s ice shelf loss
Find out how Antarctica’s seven largest ice shelf collapses size up in this climate.
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Antarctic ecosystem
Antarctic animals make their living in the ocean, because the land is too cold, dry, and dark for plants and…
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Cyanobacteria Life Cycle
Freshwater cyanobacteria vary widely in morphology and cellular organization, ranging from unicellular to more complex filamentous and colonial structures.
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Pseudo nitzchia Life Cycle
Click through the life cycle of Pseudo-nitzschia, a chain-forming diatom that must reproduce sexually to reset its size—and can make…
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Dinoflagellate Life Cycle
Explore how dinoflagellates such as Alexandrium reproduce by asexual fission: One cell grows and then divides into two cells, then…
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Underwater Vehicles: How much pressure?
Click the numbers to see how pressure increases with depth—and how much force (in pounds per square inch) underwater vehicles…
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Underwater Vehicles: How deep can we go?
How deep can we go? Dive into ocean depths from 1 meter to over 10,000. Learn how pressure, light, and…
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Underwater Research Vehicles
Since the 1960s, three key underwater vehicles—AUVs, ROVs, and HOVs—have helped explore the ocean. Click each to discover how they…
Read MoreSpilhaus Data Composite
Data cycles across a Spilhaus map, revealing temperature-colored currents, bathymetry, plate boundaries, hydrothermal vents, sea ice, and chlorophyll over time.
Read MoreOcean Encounters: 2026 El Niño
The global implications of a “super” warm ocean in the eastern tropical Pacific
Read MoreOcean Encounters: Into the Abyss
Join us to hear about the technologies enabling deep ocean research, what we can learn from mapping the seafloor, and…
Read MoreSpilhaus Map Morph
The Spilhaus projection offers a unique view of Earth, revealing one interconnected ocean covering 71% of our planet’s surface.
Read MoreThe Mid-Ocean Ridge on the Spilhaus map
Discover the Mid-Ocean Ridge, Earth’s longest mountain range, where underwater volcanoes create new crust and hydrothermal vents support unique life.
Read MoreSea ice concentration in the Arctic & Antarctica on the Spilhaus map
Earth’s fragile polar regions help regulate climate, support thriving marine ecosystems, and play a vital role in global environmental balance.
Read MoreChlorophyl blooms on the Spilhaus map
Tiny but mighty, phytoplankton fuel marine food webs, absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide, and produce half of Earth’s oxygen.
Read MoreThe Global Ocean currents circulation
Discover how the Global Ocean Conveyor circulates heat, salt, nutrients, and carbon worldwide, shaping climate, sustaining life, and connecting oceans.
Read MoreSpilhaus Data Composite
Data cycles across a Spilhaus map, revealing temperature-colored currents, bathymetry, plate boundaries, hydrothermal vents, sea ice, and chlorophyll over time.
Read MoreOcean Encounters: 2026 El Niño
The global implications of a “super” warm ocean in the eastern tropical Pacific
Read MoreOcean Encounters: Into the Abyss
Join us to hear about the technologies enabling deep ocean research, what we can learn from mapping the seafloor, and…
Read MoreSpilhaus Map Morph
The Spilhaus projection offers a unique view of Earth, revealing one interconnected ocean covering 71% of our planet’s surface.
Read MoreThe Mid-Ocean Ridge on the Spilhaus map
Discover the Mid-Ocean Ridge, Earth’s longest mountain range, where underwater volcanoes create new crust and hydrothermal vents support unique life.
Read MoreSea ice concentration in the Arctic & Antarctica on the Spilhaus map
Earth’s fragile polar regions help regulate climate, support thriving marine ecosystems, and play a vital role in global environmental balance.
Read MoreChlorophyl blooms on the Spilhaus map
Tiny but mighty, phytoplankton fuel marine food webs, absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide, and produce half of Earth’s oxygen.
Read MoreThe Global Ocean currents circulation
Discover how the Global Ocean Conveyor circulates heat, salt, nutrients, and carbon worldwide, shaping climate, sustaining life, and connecting oceans.
Read MoreOcean Facts
Dive in and find answers to your deepest ocean questions. Why is the ocean blue? What causes ocean waves? How do I become and oceanographer? Get the facts and increase your ocean knowledge.
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Article
Did You Know | Ocean lifeHow does bioluminescence work?
Deep in the ocean there’s very little sunlight. But if…
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Article
Did You Know | Ocean & human livesWhat happens in the ocean as a hurricane passes over?
Hurricanes are powerful storms that cause massive damage on land….
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Article
Ocean Fact Checker | Ocean lifeAre offshore wind farms harming whales?
WHOI whale biologist Mark Baumgartner discusses the perceived risks of…
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Article
Did You Know | Sustainable oceanHow does ocean warming affect fisheries?
The ocean has absorbed 93% of excess heat from human…
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Did You Know | Ocean lifeHow does bioluminescence work?
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Did You Know | HurricanesWhat happens in the ocean as a hurricane passes over?
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Ocean Fact Checker | Marine mammalsAre offshore wind farms harming whales?
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Did You Know | FisheriesHow does ocean warming affect fisheries?
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Ocean Fact Checker | Frozen oceanIt’s always freezing in the Arctic. Or is it?
How does bioluminescence work?
What happens in the ocean as a hurricane passes over?
Are offshore wind farms harming whales?
How does ocean warming affect fisheries?
