History of Oceanography Why Study The History of

History of Oceanography

Why Study The History of Oceanography? • 1. It’s key to understanding how the oceans have shaped human society and how they may shape the future. • 2. Oceanography’s past helps you understand why and how people apply marine sciences today. • 3. It’s interesting! It grew out of humanity’s desire to explore.

History of Oceanography: 6 Stages 1. Ancient Uses and Explorations: (5, 000 B. C. to 799 A. D. ) Don’t Copy!! 2. The Middle Ages: (800 to 1399) 3. European Voyages of Discovery: (1400 -1699) 4. The Birth of Marine Science: (1700 -1899) 5. 20 th Century Marine Science: (1900 -1999) 6. Modern Marine Science: (2000 – Present)

Timeline *Hold Paper Horizontally • Each person will be responsible for showcasing 1 of the main events in the history of Oceanography. • Front – A hand drawn picture to depict the event AND a date (a year is fine if you can’t be more specific) • Back – VERY NEAT description explaining the discovery or event (min 6 sentences). How did it contribute to the history of oceanography? – Cite your sources in MLA Format!!!

Stage 1: Ancient Uses and Explorations 5, 000 B. C. to 799 A. D.

Ancient Uses and Explorations • 3 primary reasons for early civilizations to interact with the ocean: 1. Food 2. Trade 3. Exploration

Ancient Uses and Explorations • Earliest recorded sea voyage – Egyptians, 3200 B. C. • Ancient Phoenicians established 1 st trade routes through the Mediterranean, 1200 B. C. – The north star was once called the Phoenician star. It’s the earlier record of using the North Star for navigation.

Ancient Uses and Explorations • The Polynesians were the first group to sail across the open ocean as opposed to staying close to shore. – Homemade canoes Hawaii to Tahiti : 2, 000 miles

Ancient Uses and Explorations • Ancient Greeks: First to use mathematical principles and develop sophisticated maps for seafaring – Greek Pytheas • Used the North Star for navigation and predicted tides in the Atlantic Ocean based on phases of the moon. – Greek Eratosthenes • Calculated Earth’s circumference and invented the first latitude/longitude system – Greek Herodotus • Made one of the first known maps

What is Latitude and Longitude? • Helps determine specific locations on the Earth’s surface • Latitude = Across • Longitude = Over

Stage 2: The Middle Ages 800 A. D. to 1399

The Middle Ages • The “Dark Ages” (intellectual darkness) – Myths replaced knowledge • Example: The Greeks knew the Earth was round but the primary belief in the Middle Ages was that the Earth was flat – Viking Explorations • A warming global climate freed the North Atlantic of ice allowing the Vikings to explore westward

• Chinese Explorations and Discoveries – Responsible for making magnetic compass

Stage 3: European Voyages of Discovery 1400 to 1699

Renaissance (Latin: “to be born again”) – New interest in ocean exploration • Motives: Economics, politics, religion – Bartholomeu Dias (1487) • Completed first voyage around Cape of Good Hope

Exploration of New World – Columbus, 1492 • 4 Voyages to find a route to Asia from Europe

– Vespucci: recognized South America as new continent – Balboa: Crossed the isthmus of Panama and discovered the Pacific Ocean • Renewed hope that you could get to Asia by sailing west. – Magellan, 1519 • Finally! Someone sails around the world!

*Magellan’s Voyage • Voyage started with 5 ships and 260 men • 1 Ship and 18 men returned • The rest died from disease and accidents • Magellan himself died in the Philippines fighting with islanders

Stage 4: The Birth of Marine Science 1700 to 1899

Captain James Cook – Launched expeditions with science and exploration as the only goals – First to use a Chronometer • An accurate clock that determines longitude at sea (could determine exact location) – Discovered Australia

• The United States Exploring Expedition – Sailed through the southern ocean for 4 years • Discovered Antarctica • Gathered specimens • Made maps • Mathew Maury – Father of Physical Oceanography • Studied currents and other physical aspects of the sea

Darwin – H. M. S Beagle, 1831 – Explored Galapagos Islands – Explained formation of coral reefs – Proposed theory of natural selection • The process by which organisms with favorable traits tend to live longer and reproduce more.

The Challenger Expedition – First expedition devoted entirely to Marine Science – (1872) sailed 4 years – Gathered physical, geological, chemical, and biological data at regular intervals across the ocean

Data Collection (23 yrs to examine all the info) – Discovered marine organisms in the deep ocean (people assumed nothing lived there) – Discovered Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Marianas Trench – Catalogued and identified 4, 717 new species

Industrial Revolution • Steam engines and iron ships • Submarines

th 20 Stage 5: Century Marine Science 1900 - 1999

3 Important Expeditions Meteor: Mapped Atlantic seafloor with echo-sounding technology Atlantis: First ship specifically designed for ocean studies H. M. S. Challenger II: Found deepest part of ocean within the Marianas Trench (Challenger Deep)

Submersibles – Bathysphere • Beebe and Barton Bathys = deep – Bathyscaphe Scaphe = boat • Trieste – first submersible to descend to bottom of Challenger Deep – Deep-diving submersible

Scuba Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

Hydrothermal Vents • An opening in the seafloor where heated, mineralrich water flows out. • Form at locations where seawater meets magma

The Titanic • Dr. Bob Ballard and his team discover the Titanic south of Newfoundland in 1985 (73 years after it sank in the Atlantic) at a depth of 12, 000 ft.

Stage 6: Modern Marine Science 2000 - Present

Census of Marine Life • A 10 year investigation of diversity, distribution and abundance of marine life. • A DECADE OF DISCOVERY 2, 700 scientists 80+ nations 540 expeditions US$ 650 million 2, 600+ scientific publications 6, 000+ potential new species 30 million distribution records and counting

1 st Solo Dive to the Mariana Trench • James Cameron and his team spent 7 years researching, designing and testing a submersible that could survive the pressure at 36, 000 feet. – Deepsea Challenger – March 26, 2012

History of Oceanography: 5 Stages 1. Ancient Uses and Explorations: (5, 000 B. C. to 799 A. D. ) Don’t copy!! 2. The Middle Ages: (800 to 1399) 3. European Voyages of Discovery: (1400 -1699) 4. The Birth of Marine Science: (1700 -1899) 5. 20 th Century Marine Science: (1900 -1999) 6. Modern Marine Science: (2000 -Present)