5 facts you didn't know about the ocean

You could dive beneath an ocean’s twinkling blue surface to uncover its many secrets - but that’s not easy, what with an ocean being mostly a deep, dark, dangerous and very cold place. In fact, more people have visited the Moon than travelled to the ocean’s deepest region.

Thankfully, with a copy of The Encyclopaedia of Oceans in your hands, you can be a nature-loving adventurer and explorer, while staying safe, dry and warm! However, if you are desperate to surf the waves, don a wetsuit, or climb aboard a submersible to venture into the inky depths, here are some handy tips to keep you safe!

Although most ocean water is very chilly, in some places boiling hot water and gases gush out of cracks in the Earth’s crust. Although we humans would fry and frazzle near one of these vents, some weird and wonderful creatures, such as hairy yeti crabs, make this super-heated habitat their home.
The Arctic Ocean is home to lovely, furry polar bears… but beware these marine monsters because they are not especially cuddly! A hungry polar bear is one of the few animals that will actively hunt humans to eat. And if you spot one on the Arctic ice, don’t think you can jump in the water to escape its massive paws and jaws — polar bears are superb and speedy swimmers!
A lovely dip in the crystal-blue waters around a coral reef sounds like fun, but keep your eyes peeled for stonefish. Cunningly disguised as rocky stones on the seabed, a stonefish bears venomous spines that deliver, at best, a big dose of pain. You really don’t want to tread on one of these guys!
Diving to the deepest part of the ocean is fraught with danger - humans bodies are not cut out for the lethal conditions. You must stay inside your submersible, or prepare to be crushed by the enormous pressure of tons of water pushing on your soft body from all sides.
There is some good news: while everyone will warn you to be on the lookout for sharks, thankfully it’s actually incredibly unlikely that a shark would be interested in eating you. In fact, most sharks are quite shy and much prefer eating fish or squid.

Of course, even the most adventurous marine explorers are unlikely to encounter any of these dangerous situations. Our oceans, however, are facing terrible threats every day, from pollution, and over-fishing to climate change. That’s why it’s a great idea to find out how these marvellous places create our weather, make homes for animals and provide the world with food and oxygen, and learn how we can all take steps to protect them for the future.

Shop The Encyclopaedia of Oceans for even more ocean facts!

Shop more books in this series: Blog by Camilla de la Bedoyere