Marine science, also known as oceanography, covers a wide range of topics including ocean currents, seafloor geology, and the chemical composition of ocean water. Professionals in this field may specialize in marine biology, chemistry, or physics. Many work in laboratories and may have graduated from basic programs such as Biology or Earth Sciences. Marine science is important for understanding the Earth’s natural system and can play a vital role in environmental conservation and finding solutions to environmental problems.
Marine science is commonly called oceanography. As these names may reveal, this branch of science deals with the study of the oceans. Professionals in this field are often called marine scientists or oceanographers, but they may also go by titles that relate to their specialties. The topics covered by marine science can vary widely, including things like ocean currents, seafloor geology, and the chemical composition of ocean water.
Many people have only a vague understanding of marine science. A common misconception involves the use of titles such as marine scientist and oceanographer. To a layman, these may seem very specific. In fact, these titles provide almost no insight into what a person does in this field.
Marine science is so broad that it would require a lot of space to outline every possible career path. Many of the same components studied on land are also studied in water. Marine biology, marine chemistry, and marine physics are three of the disciplines that fall under the category of oceanography. Within each of these disciplines there are a number of subcategories in which a practitioner is likely to specialize. For example, within marine biology, one person might focus on plants while another focuses on microscopic organisms.
In some cases, oceanographers have graduated from some type of marine science program. More often than not, however, these professionals have graduated from more basic programs such as Biology or Earth Sciences. Then, somewhere along the way, they veered off and started focusing on oceanography.
People also tend to think that marine scientists do most of their jobs in or on the water. This is a second misunderstanding. Much of the work performed by such professionals is typically done in laboratories. Instead of wetsuits and oxygen tanks, their equipment commonly consists of microscopes and computers.
It is widely believed that the oceans affect many components of the Earth’s natural system. For example, the oceans have been linked to global climate. Marine life is also responsible for sustaining part of the human food chain. Since this is the case, a common goal of marine science is to draw relevance between the oceans and other parts of nature.
Marine science is often treated as a new science that usually causes funding problems: a third misconception. This vast area of science can play a vital role in environmental conservation. It can also be a great contributor in finding solutions to environmental problems such as global warming.
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