QUICKSAND BY THE NUMBERS » OCEANS
70
Percent of the Earth’s surface that is covered by ocean. Less than 5 percent of the oceans' depths have been explored by humans. The Mid-Ocean Ridge, which is the planet’s longest chain of mountains stretching for more than 40,300 miles, has been less explored than Venus or Mars. In comparison, the longest mountain range above water is the Andes at 4,300 miles long. Also at 70 percent is the amount of oxygen marine plants produce for the planet.
94
Percent of living species on Earth that live in the ocean. The World Register of Marine Species lists 240,470 ocean species but experts believe that is only scratching the surface of marine life, with new aquatic species being discovered almost daily.
1000
Estimated number of shipwrecks lying off the Florida Keys. There are believed to be more than 3 million shipwrecks worldwide, with the oldest dating back 10,000 years. There are more historic artifacts under the oceans than in all the world’s museums.
6 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE June/July 2022
60M
Number of square miles of the Pacific Ocean, the largest ocean on Earth. The Pacific’s average depth is 13,000 feet and there are about 25,000 islands in it. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest, covering an area of 6.1 million square miles. Still, the Arctic Ocean is about 1.5 times larger than the United States.
750
The temperature, in Fahrenheit, of water at the deepest levels of the ocean. The incredibly hot water comes from hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. The water is prevented from boiling by the intense pressure at those depths, a pressure that would literally crush humans.
20M
Number, in tons, of gold estimated to be in the oceans. According to bestlife.com, that equates to about 9 pounds of gold for each living person on Earth.
262
Number of feet the oceans would rise if all the glaciers and sea ice melted at the same time. This is just about the height of the Statue of Liberty.
