Mysterious Oceans
Episode 2, Jan 27, 2020, 05:00 AM
Why is the sea salty? Could Earth’s oceans ever boil away? And just how much whale pee is in the ocean? All these questions (and a whole lot more) are answered by our intrepid science reporters, Jeanna and Mindy.
Below you can find links to further reading on the topics discussed in this episode.
Mystery #1: Why is the Ocean salty?
Below you can find links to further reading on the topics discussed in this episode.
Mystery #1: Why is the Ocean salty?
- Oceans on the young Earth were probably only slightly salty, but over time the mineral deposits became more concentrated, causing varying degrees of saltiness.
- Osmoconformers - animal's "environment" on the inside matches its environment on the outside. Osmoregulators - have body structures that filter or secrete excess salt.
Mystery #2: Could Earth’s oceans ever boil away?
- It’s an almost unimaginable amount of water: The US Geological Survey estimated more than 300 million cubic miles of it.
Guest editor report: Underwater Volcano Creates Bubbles More Than a Quarter-Mile Across.
Mystery #3: How much of the ocean is whale pee… and worse!
- A study published in 2003 found some numbers: the sei whale expels 166 gallons (627 litres) of urine a day.
- The fin whale expels 257 gallons (974 litres) a day!
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Music by Chad Crouch - Algorithms
Music by Chad Crouch - Algorithms
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License