All Aboard Arnold Dental!
Here at Arnold Dental, we love any reason to celebrate. If we don’t have one– we make one! This July, we’ve been celebrating nautical month and we’re loving all things related to the ocean. We thought it would be fun to dig up some interesting facts about the deep blue sea.
General Facts
1.) Around 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans.
2.) If the Earth had no atmosphere, the oceans would evaporate.
3.) The deepest recorded point on the ocean floor is the Mariana Trench, with a depth of nearly 36,000 feet.
4.) The oldest oceanic crust is less than 200 million years old. This is relatively young, scientifically speaking.
5.) Light can’t penetrate 300 feet through the ocean. This area that can’t be touched by sunlight is called the “deep sea.”
6.) The average ocean depth is 2.5 miles.
7.) The average temperature of the ocean’s surface water is or 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celcius).
8.) Ocean tides are caused by the Earth rotating while the Moon and Sun’s gravitational pull acts on ocean water.
Sea Life
9.) An estimated 50-80% of all life on earth is found under the ocean surface, and the oceans contain 99% of the living space on the planet.
10.) The blue whale is the largest known animal ever to have lived on sea or land. They reach more than 110 feet long and weigh more than 50 adult elephants!
11.) Oceanic life forms began 3 billion years ago. In comparison, land-based creatures only appeared about 400 million years ago.
12.) One study of the deep sea revealed 898 species, and more than half of these were new to science.
13.) Phytoplankton, one-celled plants that live at the ocean’s surface, account for half of the world’s supply of oxygen.
Human Influence and Use
14.) Including the phytoplankton and other underwater sources– 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by the oceans.
15.) The ocean plays a critical role in removing carbon from the atmosphere.
16.) The farthest that a human wearing a diving suit can reach under the ocean is 2,000 feet.
17.) 16% of world animal protein consumption by humans comes from fish.
18.) Humans dump 14 billion pounds of trash into the ocean every year.
19.) The majority of the trash in our oceans is plastic. Every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in our oceans. This is equivalent to five grocery bags filled with plastic for every foot of coastline in the world.
Random Facts
20.) We know more about the moon’s surface than the depths of the ocean. In fact, 12 people have been to the moon, but only 3 have made it to the Mariana Trench.
21.) The world’s oceans contain about 20 million tons of gold.
22.) Including gold, there’s an estimated 60 billion US dollars worth of sunken treasure sitting at the bottom of our oceans.
23.) 95% of our oceans remain unexplored.
24.) The world’s largest underwater volcano, Tamu Massif, is the size of New Mexico.
25.) At their closest point, Europe and Africa are only separated by about 9 miles of ocean.
Make an Appointment
We’ve had such a great time celebrating with you this month, and we hope you’ve learned something new. If you weren’t able to make it in, and you’re due for a cleaning– schedule an appointment today.
Ever since he was little Dr. J. Fred Arnold wanted to be a dentist. He has lived in Kentucky all of his life, except for three years he spent serving in the Air Force (1984-1987). He and his wife Holly have raised their family here and couldn’t imagine spending life anywhere else. They love the great schools and the emphasis on arts and culture.