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April 5, 2024 14 mins

Dive in with us as we explore and debunk six common myths about the vast and mysterious biome that covers over 70% of our planet - the ocean.

Besides the monstrous leviathans, hidden worlds, and other intriguing tales we've painted about it since ancient times, the ocean's health is critical to our existence, making understanding it even more crucial.

The myths we debunk cover exploration, the seabed topology, humankind's impact, resource abundance, the nature of sharks, and the impact of melting ice.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

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Episode Transcript

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(00:00):
Common Myths About The Ocean Debunking The Deep Ah, the ocean.
That vast, mysterious expanse that covers over 70% of the Earth's surface has
long been a canvas for the human imagination.
It's been painted with tales of monstrous leviathans, hidden worlds,
and a myriad of myths and misconceptions since ancient times,

(00:22):
each more intriguing than the last.
Yet, beyond the allure of these fables lies a critical reason to sift fact from fiction.
The health of the globe's most significant ecosystem.
Today, we bust six of those myths to not only stir the waters of curiosity but
to foster a greater appreciation and responsibility for our blue planet's biome.

(00:44):
Let's dive in, shall we?
Myth number 1. The ocean is fully explored.
In defiance of the general belief that we have charted the colossal waters,
the reality is quite the opposite.
The surface, where ships roam and our favorite vacations take place,
has been sailed for thousands of years.
So, we can say that it's kind of well known. For instance.

(01:09):
James Cook, with his ship Endeavor in the 18th century, provided the first accurate
map of the Pacific Ocean.
Matthew Morey published the earliest book about oceanography in 1855.
From 1831 to 1836, Charles Darwin, aboard the HMS Beagle, voyaged around the
world, cataloging and studying new animals and plants.

(01:30):
Fritjof Nansen, pioneered by crossing the Greenland interior in 1888 and the North Pole in 1893.
Van Egmond developed theories to explain the dynamics of ocean currents in 1905.
But underneath such a thin line, separating the ocean's skin from what lies
beneath, the deepness presents itself as a hidden chapter of an open book.

(01:53):
About 80% of this submerged realm continues to be an enigma.
Through technology, we know how deep the ocean is, where the trenches and the
tectonic plates are, but they stay untouched and unseen by human eyes.
The briny waters, with their crushing pressures and eternal darkness,
present a formidable challenge to our advanced technologies.

(02:13):
They hold a tantalizing promise of unknown species, unexplored ecosystems,
and breathtaking geological marvels lying in their depths.
A book that aroused fascination about the inscrutable secrets of the ocean was
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne, published in 1870.
The story revolves around an enormous and cryptic monster, sighted at various locations in the sea.

(02:37):
Such a mystery sparked a search for the creature, which turned out to be Captain
Nemo's man-made submarine, the Nautilus.
The novel, filled with adventures and discoveries, is a fascinating tale of
exploration and the wonders of science.
The real exploration of the depths started in the 20th century.
Technological innovations allowed many endeavors to discover new species,

(03:00):
artifacts from ancient cultures, treasures, debunk myths, or discover facts about shipwrecks.
To name a few, we have William Beebe was the first scientist to descend into
the deep to observe unseen forms of underwater water life.
Jacques Piccard, a pioneer who explored the deepest part of the ocean.
Robert Ballard, the leader of the crew that discovered the famous wreck of the RMS Titanic.

(03:25):
James Cameron, director of the Oscar-winning film Titanic, broke the ground
when he made a solo dive to the Mariana Trench.
But I reckon that who inspired the most and showed the true nature of the aquatic
kingdom was Jacques Cousteau, a naval officer, researcher, scientist,
conservationist, filmmaker, and explorer.

(03:46):
He hosted and created the acclaimed TV documentaries, The Undersea World of
Jacques Cousteau, from 1968 to 1976, bringing the deep ocean creatures to millions of homes worldwide.
However, not every exploration has been successful. Some have fallen into tragedy.
The latest occurred on June 18, 2023.

(04:07):
The Titan, a submersible, run by the American tourism company,
OceanGate, collapsed violently inwards, on an expedition to see the Titanic
wreck, in the North Atlantic.
At the time, the submersible lost contact with its mother ship,
the US Navy detected an acoustic signature, consistent with an implosion.
The pressure hull imploded, while the Titan was descending, resulting in the

(04:30):
instantaneous deaths of all all five occupants.
The ocean is nothing to play with.
Throughout history, countless lives have been lost, and perhaps more will.
Myth number 2. Flat and uninteresting seabed.
The notion that the ocean floor is a vast, desolate sand plain couldn't be further from the truth.

(04:51):
The submarine terrain is a mosaic of dramatic landscapes, from towering mountains
that dwarf Everest to deep trenches, volcanic ridges, and sprawling canyons.
Picture the Earth's surface, with cordilleras, hills, valleys,
and deserts, but immersed.
These underwater marvels are not just geological features. They are vibrant

(05:12):
ecosystems, teeming with living beings, each adapted to its unique habitat.
Myth number 3. The ocean's invincibility against human impact.
Believing that the ocean is too big to be affected by us is amongst the deadliest misconceptions.
The truth is that the fragile ocean, despite its enormity, has been under constant siege for decades.

(05:35):
Pollution, overfishing, and mining. These activities have indelibly marred the
marine environment, proving that still the largest of nature's creations is
not immune to human recklessness.
Imagine a sea turtle, duped into ingesting plastic bags, under the guise of
jellyfish, only to die from suffocation.
This tragic imagery underscores a pressing verity.

(05:58):
Our actions have profound effects on the ocean's delicate ecosystems.
Let's talk about the rubbish tide. In the Pacific Ocean, an enormous area of
debris serves as a testament to the immense pollution we have caused. caused.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Spanning from the west coast of North America to Japan, it covers 1.6 million square kilometers.

(06:20):
But this isn't a solid ground. It consists of suspended fingernail-sized,
or smaller plastic particles, in the upper water.
The issue with plastics is their non-biodegradability.
They break down into tinier pieces with passing time, becoming what is called nanoplastics.
These microscopic fragments can enter our cells, brains, and bloodstream,

(06:43):
causing inflammation, and according to studies, even changing our DNA to its core.
Who's to blame for this mess? People who throw pet bottles, straws,
bags, and candy wrappers into streets, sewers, rivers, and beaches should be
held accountable for the waste that ends up in the sea.
In truth, the most common marine rubbish is cigarette butts.

(07:06):
Due to this barbaric action, the water currents carry the debris to the ocean
when it rains, making it take a global tour. That is the stark reality.
Now, the question is, are we eating plastic each time we consume fish?
Of course, and we don't know the immediate consequences of that.
Perhaps the impact on our bodies has caused some of our prevalent illnesses

(07:28):
and conditions, but who knows?
Did you know that most of the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean?
Scientists estimate that half of the oxygen generated on Earth is marine-derived,
and the majority of this production is from oceanic plankton,
drifting plants, algae, and bacteria that photosynthesize.
One particular species, Prochlorococcus, the smallest photosynthetic organism

(07:52):
on the planet, produces over 20% of the invisible life elixir in our entire
biosphere alone. alone.
This exceeds what all the tropical rainforests and land combined produce.
So, while trees do contribute a significant amount of oxygen,
the world's watery canvas is indeed the major source of the vital air we breathe.

(08:13):
Myth number four. The ocean offers boundless resources.
The infinite bounty of the sea has led to habitat destruction,
overfishing, and extensive mineral exploitation.
The world's vast blue is not an all-you-can-eat buffet.
A plethora of species are dancing on the precipice because of the indiscriminate
use of unsustainable practices.

(08:35):
For instance, we overconsume tuna, tuna, sardine, prawns, and lobster.
And because of that high demand, fishermen do not let those species reach maturity,
so in their nets, they also catch baby specimens.
Being too small for consumers, they become bait for other fish. Isn't that cute?
The first marine creature, to be declared extinct as a result of human action,

(08:58):
was a relative of stingrays, the Java stingaree.
It was spotted last, in a Jakarta market in 1862.
And despite monitoring and survey efforts, this diamond-shaped ray has not been found since.
Other species on the brink of extinction are dugongs, abalone shellfish,

(09:18):
Pacific bluefin tuna, Chinese pufferfish, and the American eel.
These examples underscore the urgent need for sustainable practices and and
attempts to protect marine biodiversity.
It's crucial to observe that the destruction of these species may have far-reaching
impacts on aquatic ecosystems since other living organisms depend on them.

(09:41):
This is a list of the impacts of deep-sea mining.
Creatures may face extinction from habitat removal because of the movement of the ocean floor.
Digging operations contaminate food sources with drill cuttings or other byproducts.
The noise of the machinery affects affects wildlife, displacing animals from
their natural environment, and forcing them to find a more dangerous, unknown one.

(10:05):
Excavations, release carbon stored on the seabed. Introduction of toxic substances to the ocean.
Light from mining, disrupts the ability of some species to survive.
The more resources we demand, the more damage to our planet.
I'm not saying we should not take take advantage of nature and its generosity,
but many practices are not green-minded.

(10:27):
What's the solution, then? We have solved problems with technology before,
so there must be a way to meet our needs without harming biodiversity.
That could, sooner or later, backfire against us.
Myth number 5. Sharks are man-eating monsters.
For too long, we have labeled sharks as villains, lurking beneath the waves,

(10:50):
waiting for an innocent swimmer to make a splash and rip a limb.
Owing to sensationalist movies, thank you, Steven Spielberg,
for Jaws 1, 2, and 3, we believe that sharks are apex predators with evil minds
focused on killing and mutilating people.
But sharks do not show interest in humans, and incidents involving attacks are

(11:10):
rare rare and often result from mistaken identities.
This Salachian creature plays a role in the ocean's health, keeping other populations in check.
Compared with sharks, these animals pose a far greater threat.
Titan triggerfish are known to bite divers' fins and flesh, although they haven't been provoked.
Stingrays. In 2006, conservationist

(11:32):
and iconic animal-themed TV v personality steve irwin
died at the hands or tail of a stingray electric eel when something gets close
this snake-like fish discharges volts of electricity and shocks the intruder
sometimes to death saltwater crocodile its jaw has up to 10 times more strength
than the great white sharks.

(11:55):
Pufferfish its venom is as toxic as cyanide dolphins weird as it sounds there
have been numerous cases of aggressive behavior and attacks towards humans.
Here's an interesting fact.
Sharks vs Hippos. In 2023, the International Shark Attack File investigated

(12:15):
120 alleged shark-human interactions worldwide.
Of these, 69 were confirmed as unprovoked, with 64 fatalities.
On the other hand, hippos are considered one of the most lethal animals in Africa,
with about 500 kills every year.
Most of the deaths belong to fishermen doing their jobs in lakes and rivers.

(12:38):
Myth number 6. Melting Icebergs and Rising Seas If all the icebergs in the world
melted, they would cause a rise in the sea level, of course,
but not as much as you might think.
When icebergs are floating in the ocean, they displace the same amount of fluid as their own mass.
Thus, if they transitioned from solid to liquid, it wouldn't increase the volume significantly.

(13:01):
A different story would be if all the ice on land, including that in Greenland
and Antarctica, were to melt.
This would indeed add a significant quantity of water to the oceans and cause a massive tidal surge.
As reported by National Geographic, if this situation happened,
the rise in sea level would be close to 66 meters.
And that'd be catastrophic.

(13:24):
Coastal cities, such as London, New York, and Shanghai would be submerged. merged.
Apart from that, the advancing saltwater would infiltrate groundwater reserves
inland, destroying freshwater aquifers.
Furthermore, the melting of all ice would disrupt ocean currents and weather
patterns, leading to more frequent storms, floods, and hurricanes.

(13:44):
Though this is a hypothetical scenario, climate change induces thawing at an
unprecedented rate, which is a cause of concern.
Therefore, anything we do to mitigate the effects of global warming is crucial
to avoiding these potential outcomes.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Final thoughts So, there you have it. A veritable treasure trove of debunked myths.

(14:09):
The ocean remains our planet's most fascinating biome, full of mystery and wonder,
but don't forget to approach it with caution and a keen eye for the facts.
Let's commit to being champions of the briny and treat it as a part of our home
as we rely on it for our nourishment, enjoyment, and lives.
Next time you go to the beach, river, lake, or just on the streets,

(14:30):
do not throw any rubbish on the pavement or water and encourage others about it.
In the end, that plastic bottle, cap, candy wrap, cigarette butt,
or bag will appear in the stomach of an animal you might buy in a supermarket later.
As the popular adage states, what goes around comes around.
So, what would you do to shift the tide? This is today's focus of attention.

(14:52):
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