Exploring Our Oceans

The first astronauts to leave the Earth’s orbit saw our “blue planet” for the first time. But what lies in the half of our world covered by water more than two miles deep? How are our everyday lives connected to the ocean depths, and what challenges and opportunities does this previously hidden realm hold for our future? In this course you will join scientists exploring the ocean from the deepest undersea vents to the chilly waters of the Poles, going deeper, longer, and more often than ever before - and find how what we now know about the ocean depths is as amazing as the unknown that remains. By taking this course, you will see how the deep ocean is no longer out of reach, and join a global debate about the future of our “blue planet”. The course consists of six structured weeks, each dealing with a different aspect of exploring our oceans, but brought together by a common narrative. The course content includes a variety of videos, articles, discussions and assignments. The course provides a taster of the subject and we hope the topics we have chosen give you an overview of this fascinating area. For those requiring further depth, we’ll be providing external links and additional resources each week.

• Jon Copley & Verity Nye