Underwater Research
There are so many things on this planet that have yet to be discovered. With 72% of the earth’s surface covered by water; a large majority of these remaining discoveries may exist underneath the veil of water. For hundreds of year, people have attempted to explore and research the underwater unknowns. On a whole they have been successful. Their research has unlocked theories on the origin of life, put seaweed in our toothpaste, and brought us the joy of coral reefs.
Underwater research is a broad spectrum of science. There are hundreds of different organizations, institutes, and universities that are members of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences. All of these groups are classified as scientific diving groups and they are researching the mysteries in the underwater world. Their research is very important and is helping answer questions about everything from phycology to global warming.
Scientists proudly research all sorts of underwater phenomena’s. Ocean Earth is monitoring coral reefs and exploring maritime archaeology. The University of California at Santa Cruz is busy measuring the physiological responses of diving mammals and the ecology of kelp forests. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is researching ocean geology and freshwater and saltwater chemical interactions. NOAA is studying the deep unexplored waters of the seas and the preservation of coral reefs. The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center studies benthic ecology and coastal food webs. Other research groups are studying amazing underwater things like whale migration patterns, underwater communications, sonar, polar ice caps, sea level variations, or diving safety.
Underwater research takes places all over the world. Scientific teams explore both fresh and salt water. Divers plunge into the seas in places like the polar regions of Antarctica, the tropical seas of the Caribbean, the murky depths of New England, and the vast lakes of the Andes. Underwater research is completed anywhere there is water – new discoveries often exist in places you would least expect. By exploring new places, monitoring conditions, observing, and collecting data, scientists are able to make scientific breakthroughs that have the potential to change the world.
All aspects of science that are covered on land are also covered under the sea – geology, biology, botany, physiology, chemistry, and many more. Underwater research is important because it will help us solve problems and understand the planet that we live on.
