The ocean is a scary place for some, and an extraordinary place for others. But the ocean is no exception in this regard, as man by nature will always fear the unknown. Although more detailed information is obtained through research, it is a fact that most of it is a mystery.
Even today, there is so much unknown about the ocean that it may not really be possible to study them all. At least in our time. In fact, according to the report of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we have not yet discovered 95 percent of the ocean floor. So much so that we even know the surface of Mars better than the ocean. But with each passing day, new things continue to be discovered or interesting information about the ocean is learned.
Although many of these discoveries are quite impressive, not every discovery found may have the same effect. Sometimes the effort can even go in vain. However, considering the details that are known only with such a small percentage, people are both afraid and affected. The depths of the ocean are still as hidden as Pandora’s box, and many people are struggling to uncover these mysteries. We decided to compile some interesting known information about the world’s largest ocean, the ‘Pacific Ocean’, in our list.
Interesting facts about the Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean):
- The Pacific Ocean is getting smaller every year.
- The deepest point of the Pacific Ocean is the Mariana Trench.
- The Pacific Ocean contains 75% of the world’s volcanoes.
- It was home to a strange group of herbivores.
- It is home to the great barrier reef.
- It is home to at least 6 endangered species.
- People were using the Pacific Ocean in 3000 BC.
- Pacific Ocean was named by Ferdinand Magellan.
Pacific Ocean is getting smaller every year
Strange as it may sound, the ocean is shrinking by around an inch each year. This is due to the effects of submerged plate tectonics. Plate tectonics is actually a scientific theory. Plate Tectonic theory: A theory that argues that the Earth’s outer layer, the lithosphere, is a piece of what is called tectonic plates, which is in constant motion and is made up of discrete pieces. The mid-ocean ridge of the Pacific, the East Pacific Rise, is a rapidly spreading centre; that means it spreads about 3 to 6 inches per year compared to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which widens by 0.8 to 2 inches per year. The destruction of old crust due to the existence of subduction zones slows the growth of the Pacific Ocean, preventing the formation of new sea layer.
The deepest point of the Pacific Ocean is the Mariana Trench
The Mariana Trench is located in the western Pacific east of the Philippines and about 124 miles east of the Mariana Islands. It is crescent-shaped, more than 2,550 kilometers long and 69 kilometers wide. The Challenger Deep is the deepest single point in the ocean. It is located 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Guam and is about 7 miles wide. To make it easier to understand its size, we can give an example: Mount Everest could fit into the Challenger Deep, leaving a gap of more than a mile.
Contains 75% of the world’s volcanoes
Pacific Ocean volcanoes form a ring around the ocean basin known as the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is a path across the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. About 40,000 kilometers in length, this road traverses several regions, including the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocs, Indo-Australian, Nazca, North American, and Philippine plates. Seventy-five percent of the world’s volcanoes (more than 450) are located along the Ring of Fire. Ninety percent of Earth’s earthquakes occur along the way, including the planet’s most violent and dramatic seismic events. The abundance of volcanoes and earthquakes along the Ring of Fire is due to the amount of movement of tectonic plates in the area.
Home to a strange species of herbivore that went extinct long ago
The Pacific ocean has hosted all kinds of creatures for thousands of years. One of the strangest of these is the Desmostylians, which are now extinct. It is still open to debate where this different species fits or adapts to the tree of life. Although they resemble a little hippopotamus, experts think they are closer to elephants or horses. For millions of years, semi-aquatic herbivores lived in the North Pacific, eating algae and seaweed, and after they went extinct, their remains have yet to be found elsewhere. The Desmostylians, with 13 to 14 different known species, made up a distinct mammalian order. After first appearing 33 million years ago, these animals died out about 10 million years ago.
Home to the world’s largest reef, the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest reef, stretches for 1,429 miles (2,300) kilometers, is labeled a World Heritage Site, and qualifies as one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It consists of 2,900 individual reefs and about 900 islands. This reef is located in the Coral Sea off the Queensland coast of Australia. It is often cited as one of the most beautiful places in the world. But it is also one of the most fragile. Unfortunately, one of the main reasons why it is fragile is people. The reef is constantly threatened by man-made disasters. Much of the coral cover that remained between 1995 and 2017 was unfortunately lost. Various conservation efforts have been underway for some time to save what is left of the reef and allow it to regenerate itself.
Today, it is home to at least 6 different species that are endangered.
Species such as whales, sea turtles, sea otters, and sea lions call the Pacific Ocean their home. In general, these animals are not very common in all parts of the ocean, and the animals themselves attribute much of their survival to the balance of the ocean ecosystem. This situation, which progresses in a balanced way under normal conditions, is affected negatively as a result of people playing with the ecosystem. Increasing oil pollution in the South Pacific and South China seas is also negatively affecting marine populations.
Although the discovery date is known, Humans were using the Pacific Ocean in 3000 BC.
The ocean may have been officially ‘discovered’ in 1521, but travelers have been using it for much longer. Before the Iron Age, or the rise of Ancient Greece, about 3400 years ago, people left their lands for the azure seas. Archaeological evidence shows that humans crossed more than 2,000 miles of open ocean to colonize islands such as Tonga and Samoa, on their way out. Alongside colonization, the ocean was of considerable value for canoeing, trade, and immigration, especially around Taiwan, during this period.
The Pacific Ocean was named by Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was the first European explorer to sail through the dangerous straits to South America. On September 20, 1519, he sailed from Spain with five ships and 270 men. He failed several times until he found the strait at the tip of the continent along the coast where Tierra del Fuego splits from the mainland. There he discovered what is now known as the Strait of Magellan. Magellan took his place on this voyage to circumnavigate the globe, also called the Pacific Ocean. When they entered the new ocean waters, he found the environment to be unusually calm and named the ocean “Pacific”, from the Latin pacificus, meaning ‘calm’.
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