What is a scientist? Someone who uses the processes of science to find answers about how and why things work… …in the world. …in the observable universe. This is what makes science an adventure full of discovery and wonder. Science is about facts and how you analyze those facts. Doing this analysis is called the “scientific process” and when you use it, you are a scientist. The Scientist In You

The Ocean Planet The oceans produce two influences vital to life on Earth.  Weather and world climate patterns dictate how warm, cold, wet, or dry it will be.  This largely determines where humans live on land. In addition, the oceans provide three important marine resources: Food Oxygen Natural Resources (such as oil)

The Importance of The Ocean  Humans have seen all of the Earth’s surface, but there’s far more to discover below than on it.  Humans increasingly change the oceans; pollution and overfishing have caused serious damage, coral reefs are dying off, and there’s more.  What you learn here about the science of investigation and problem-solving, regardless of your final career choice, benefits you by making you a more capable person who contributes to society.

Marine Science Marine Science – the process of discovering the facts, processes, and unifying principles that explain the nature of the oceans and their associated life forms. Oceanography – the science of recording and describing the ocean’s contents and processes. There are four main branches of oceanography. Biological oceanography – studies life in the ocean. Chemical oceanography – studies the chemistry of seawater. Geological oceanography – studies the geology of the ocean. Physical oceanography – studies the physics within the marine environment. Technology has made marine exploration and its associated careers possible. It is through technology that true marine exploration has become possible.

Integrating the Sciences Marine Science – draws on research from all three of the traditional sciences to understand what is observed in the ocean. Marine science is truly an interdisciplinary course of study. Most marine scientists have training in all three of the traditional science disciplines. 1. Physical Science – study of matter and energy and their interactions. 2. Life Science – study of living things and their interactions with their environments. 3. Earth and Space Science – study of the physical Earth, the solar system, the universe and their interrelationships.

What is Science? Science is a body of knowledge and an organized method used to gain knowledge about the observable universe. …Technology – A Benefit and a Burden A technology is a material system that produces intended results or in a general sense, knowledge of those systems. Technology has both improved and threatened daily life.  Benefit - health care, transportation, communication, agriculture and exploration.  Burden - issues such as pollution spills and global warming. There are three broad actions that society can take with respect to the effects of science and technology on the environment:  1. Consider the environment a lost cause and disregard the effects.  2. Dismiss the effect as overstated by scientists and inconsequential.  3. Prioritize the consequences to the environment in developing and applying technologies. Without a doubt, the last broad action appears the most logical.