Читать книгу Oceans For Dummies - Joseph Kraynak - Страница 36

Since the beginning of time, people have been seduced by the sea, its sound, its power, its vastness, and its creatures, all of which have captivated, enchanted, and inspired humankind. The ocean has served for many generations as muse to some of the world’s greatest authors, inspiring classics such as The Old Man & The Sea, Moby Dick, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Treasure Island, Homer’s Odyssey, The Tempest, and more. Artists have drawn, painted, and sculpted its seascape and creatures, both real and mythical. Musicians have sung of the sea’s soul for millennia. And the ocean plays a prominent role in many religions across the globe.

While it continues to inspire authors and artists, more recently in human history, the ocean has also inspired scientists, and it continues to do so. Exploring the ocean from surface to seafloor and from coastlines to the middle of the deep blue sea not only goes a long way toward satisfying human curiosity, but also uncovers new sources of food, medicines, and energy; provides insight on how to conserve ocean resources; and enhances safety through a better understanding of earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and other natural threats to human life and property. In addition, the physical challenges of deep-sea exploration often lead to valuable innovations.

In this section, we present some of the ways the ocean feeds the imagination and a few of the more practical benefits of ocean exploration.