An Evolving Ocean

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An illustration of early Earth, with active volcanoes and cooling areas forming the planet’s first crust.

Would it surprise you to know the ground under your feet shifts just a little every year? In some places, it moves only two or three centimeters, but in others, it can move up to ten centimeters! While it might not seem like much, over millions of years the movement of the seemingly rigid, brittle surface of our planet causes oceans to shrink and grow and mountains to rise ever higher.

Welcome to the fascinating world of Earth’s history! Embark on an extraordinary journey spanning millions of years to unravel the mysteries of our planet’s evolution and the profound changes that have shaped both the land and the vast oceans that cover it. Get ready to delve into the depths of time and witness the incredible story of Earth’s transformation.

As you travel back in time to Earth’s beginnings and the formation of the land forms and oceans we are familiar with today, it is important to keep in mind that the Earth is still changing. As you read this, a new volcano that formed just southeast of the big island of Hawaii, almost 1,000m below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, is building a new island. In a few million years, the island of Loihi will be prime tropical real estate. As the Earth has changed over time, so have the living things that inhabit it. Like the shifting of geological plates, the evolution of living things is a slow process with multiple factors influencing the changes.

Investigating the An Evolving Ocean will help you to:

understand how the Earth’s features change over time and how those changes impact living things

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catherine “Cathy” Christopher has always been passionate about science, with a special love for marine biology.. While she once dreamed of studying whales, her fascination quickly shifted to the incredible world of invertebrates during her undergraduate studies at Bowling Green State University. She later earned her Master’s in Biology from Florida Atlantic University, where she also became scuba certified and gained hands-on experience with sea turtles, birds, and everything in between.

Cathy’s career has spanned from developing engaging K-12 science curricula to leading educational initiatives that make marine science accessible to learners of all ages. When she’s not crafting the next great science lesson, Cathy can be found underwater, exploring reefs across the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific. A certified dive instructor since 2017, she loves pointing out unique marine invertebrates and is always happy to help fellow divers identify their latest underwater finds.

Explore the entire course below. When you are finished with each section, close the window to return here.

Earth's History

Evolution in the Ocean

Supplemental Resources