Oceanography: Exploring Earth’s Final Wilderness

Course Overview

Probe the ocean depths in this intriguing course that explores what we know about the world’s oceans from the tidal zones to the deepest points on the ocean floor.

Course No. 1730

This 36-lecture expedition with ocean scientist Professor Harold J. Tobin reveals:

• The 3D wonder of Earth’s aquatic realm (covering 71% of the planet)
• Cutting-edge discoveries from seafloor mapping to hydrothermal vent ecosystems
• How oceans shape climate, weather, and all terrestrial life
• The fragile balance of marine food webs from plankton to whales
  No scientific background required – just curiosity about our planet’s last great frontier.

Video Lectures

Module 1: Ocean Foundations

1. Diving In: The Ocean Adventure (31 min)
   Introduction to oceanography’s multidisciplinary approach.
2. Explorers, Navigators, Pioneering Scientists (33 min)
   From Polynesian voyagers to modern research vessels.
3. Ocean Basics and Ocean Basins (32 min)
   How seafloor geology differs radically from continents.
4. Mapping the Sea: Soundings to Satellites (34 min)
   Evolution from weighted ropes to satellite radar.

Module 2: Seafloor Dynamics

5. Habitats: Sunlit Shelves to the Dark Abyss (32 min)
   Classifying ocean zones and their unique lifeforms.
6. The Spreading Sea Floor and Mid-Ocean Ridges (33 min)
   Plate tectonics’ role in creating new oceanic crust.
7. The Plunging Sea Floor and Deep-Sea Trenches (32 min)
   Subduction zones, earthquakes, and volcanic arcs.
8. The Formation of the Earth and Its Ocean (30 min)
   How water arrived via volcanoes and comets.

Module 3: Ocean Chemistry & Physics

9. The Early Ocean and the Origins of Life (34 min)
   Deep-sea vent theories for life’s beginnings.
10. Marine Sediments: Archives of the Ocean (31 min)
    Reading climate history in seafloor layers.
11. Offshore Oil and Gas: Resources and Risks (34 min)
    2010 Gulf spill case study in deep-water drilling.
12. The Enduring Chemistry of Seawater (30 min)
    Why salinity stays constant over geologic time.

Module 4: Water in Motion

13. How the Physics of Water Controls the Ocean (32 min)
    Heat retention and why oceans appear blue.
14. Waves: Motion in the Ocean (30 min)
    From ripple formation to surfable breakers.
15. Rogue Waves and Tsunami (32 min)
    The science behind freak waves and seismic surges.
16. Tides in Theory and Practice (30 min)
    Moon’s gravity vs. coastal topography effects.

Module 5: Marine Ecosystems

17. Marine Life, Energy, and Food Webs (34 min)
    Why polar waters are richer than tropical seas.
18. Tiny Plankton: The Most Abundant Life (31 min)
    Microscopic drifters across three biological domains.
19. Soft-Bodied Life in the Dark, Open Depths (33 min)
    Gelatinous creatures revealed by submersibles.
20. Swimming: The Many Fish in the Sea (34 min)
    Evolutionary adaptations of nektonic species.

Module 6: Coastal Systems

21. Marine Birds, Reptiles, and Mammals (34 min)
    Albatrosses to whales: Masters of air and sea.
22. Whaling, Fisheries, and Farming the Ocean (34 min)
    Balancing exploitation with sustainability.
23. Where Sea Meets Land and Why Coasts Vary (32 min)
    Erosion, deposition, and tectonic coastline types.
24. Where Rivers Meet the Sea (30 min)
    Estuaries and deltas as biological nurseries.

Module 7: Ocean & Climate

25. Coastal Erosion: Beaches and Sea Cliffs (31 min)
    Why engineered solutions often fail long-term.
26. Tidal Life, Sea Forests, and Coral Reefs (32 min)
    Biodiversity hotspots in shallow benthic zones.
27. Deep Bottom Life and Hydrothermal Vents (32 min)
    Chemosynthetic ecosystems in total darkness.
28. Trade Winds: Circulation of Heat and Wind (29 min)
    Coriolis effect and global wind patterns.

Module 8: Global Impacts

29. Heavy Weather: Storms and Hurricanes (34 min)
    Hurricane formation and storm surge mechanics.
30. The Gulf Stream to Gyres: Surface Currents (32 min)
    How floating toys mapped Pacific circulation.
31. Upwelling, Downwelling, and El Niño (32 min)
    Disruptions to fisheries and weather patterns.
32. The Deepest, Slowest River: Polar Bottom Water (32 min)
    Centuries-long journeys of dense cold currents.

Module 9: Future Oceans

33. The Ocean and Global Climate (32 min)
    How seas absorb atmospheric CO2 and heat.
34. The Warming, Rising Sea (34 min)
    Realities of glacial melt and coastal flooding.
35. Marine Pollution: The Impact of Toxins (34 min)
    Great Pacific Garbage Patch and acidification.
36. The Future Ocean (36 min)
    Marine sanctuaries and sustainable choices.