First of all, a question: how many oceans are there in the world? If you answered four, you may be following the teachings we had until 2021, that is, the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic oceans. However, new studies have recently challenged this common knowledge by considering other factors to define what is or is not an ocean. That is why one of the most respected institutions on the planet has made a decision and announced that we have a new ocean on Earth, reaching the fifth.
A new way of considering the existence of an ocean
The definition of a new ocean did not come out of nowhere; it took many years of discussions and new analyses between organizations until a consensus was reached. This is because, unlike other oceans, this one is defined by a current and not by continents. We are talking about the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC).
This very old current, which emerged more than 34 million years ago, isolates the cold waters of the south from the warmer waters of the north. And, in addition to acting as a geographic boundary, it also affects climatic aspects, since it connects the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, moves a lot of water, regulates the planet’s heat and even helps to store carbon in the ocean depths (yes, this current is all the rage).
Well, as you can see, there was no shortage of reasons for a new ocean to be defined, and this happened in June 2021, on World Oceans Day, when the National Geographic Society recognized the Southern Ocean as the fifth ocean on Earth.
Not for nothing, but we already have to protect this new ocean
Does this mean it is under threat? It is the opposite… since the Antarctic Ocean is one of the most uninhabited regions in the world and, at the same time, has the greatest biodiversity on the planet, it becomes very valuable (and not because of the somewhat historic discovery in the Atlantic Ocean). The reason for this is that it is home to species that we do not see anywhere else in the world, such as penguins, seals, and whales.
And is it only like this there because no one (like us humans) is destroying the region? In part, yes, but one factor that contributes greatly to this biological wealth is the phenomenon of phytoplankton, which proliferates intensely in the spring, after the ice melts. Why? Well, let’s go back to biology class: these microalgae are the base of the food chain and produce about 50% of the oxygen we breathe, that is, their abundance in the region attracts krill (translation: marine crustaceans, like shrimp), which in turn feeds whales and other large marine animals.
“Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that not only form the basis of the entire ocean food chain, but also produce half of the oxygen we breathe”, explained Dr. Verena Meraldi, biologist and chief scientist at Hurtigruten.
Will new oceans come with this new methodology?
The main impact of this new ocean will be on schools, especially because until recently, the ocean around Antarctica appeared on our maps with ambiguous captions, when they were even named at all, which was not that common. Now, with the name Southern Ocean stamped on school maps, this new generation of students will better understand the importance of this biome.
And if you already thought it was shocking to find a new ocean here on Earth, what would you say if we told you that scientists discovered an ocean far beyond our planet? Well, that really happened, and it was only a short time ago, you know? Experts from China discovered an ocean on the far side of the Moon, but it is not made of water.
