Since humans have explored only 5 percent of the world’s oceans, it’s easy to understand why what swims beneath the waves is so fascinating. It’s also interesting to think about what lives in depths because we can’t see what’s going on under the surface, which tends to make everyone, kids included, even more captivated. The ocean is the largest habitat in the world, and these fun facts will make it come alive for your students.

50 Fun Facts About the Ocean Your Students Will Love!
  1. Oceans cover 71% of Earth’s surface.
  2. The largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean, which covers 30% of the planet.
  3. The oceans contain 96.5% of all the water on Earth.
  4. Sea waves can move at hundreds of miles an hour.
  5. There are millions of tons of gold under the oceans.
  6. Dolphins sleep with one eye open.
  7. The Zhemchug Canyon, which is located under the Bering Sea, is 8520 feet deep.
  8. The largest ocean waves are actually below the surface, and they can be over 650 feet tall.
  9. About 94% of all life on Earth lives in oceans.
  10. The longest mountain range in the world is under the ocean. The Mid-Oceanic Ridge is almost 35,000 miles long.
  11. The Great Barrier Reef is visible from the moon.
  12. A lobster’s teeth are in its stomach.
  13. If you dried all the salt in all the oceans and spread it out evenly, it would cover the entire Earth at a depth of 500 feet.
  14. One cubic foot of water from the ocean contains around 2 pounds of salt.
  15. Ocean water is constantly moving.
  16. Seahorses are not very good swimmers.
  17. Clams can live to be over one hundred years old.
  18. At least 70% of Earth’s oxygen is produced by algae and phytoplankton living in the ocean.
  19. Octopuses have three hearts.
  20. An electric eel can give off enough electricity to power ten lightbulbs.
  21. Scientists know more about the surface of the moon than the floor of the ocean.
  22. There are thousands of species living in the ocean that don’t need any light from the sun to thrive.
  23. The largest animal in the world is the blue whale.
  24. The Pacific Ocean touches more than 50 countries.
  25. The movement of the oceans helps keep the planet from getting too hot or too cold.
  26. The most common vertebrate on Earth is a small fish called a bristlemouth, named for its needle-shaped fangs.
  27. Jellyfish can sting even if they are dead.
  28. The Pacific Ocean is the deepest and the Arctic Ocean is the shallowest.
  29. The deepest part of the ocean is the Mariana Trench, and it is 36,000 feet deep.
  30. The warmest ocean is the Indian Ocean.
  31. The hydrothermal vents in the ocean can reach temperatures of over 750 degrees Fahrenheit.
  32. Sea otters hold hands while they are sleeping so they won’t separate.
  33. The loudest sound made by any animal on Earth is made by whales.
  34. The most venomous fish in the world is the stonefish.
  35. Sound travels faster underwater than in the air.
  36. Coral produces its own sunscreen.
  37. Mantis shrimp can punch as fast as a bullet.
  38. The pressure at the bottom of the ocean would crush a human being.
  39. More people have been on the moon than have visited the Mariana Trench.
  40. About 90 percent of volcanic activity happens under the surface of the ocean.
  41. There are at least three million shipwrecks scattered throughout the ocean.
  42. If all the icebergs and glaciers melted, the sea level would rise about 262 feet.
  43. Sperm whales sleep upright.
  44. Giant clams grow as long as four feet and weigh as much as 500 pounds.
  45. Some sea turtles can live for up to 150 years.
  46. Coral reefs provide food for over 25% of the species living in the ocean.
  47. Sea cucumbers can eject their internal organs to protect themselves from predators. They regrow the organs later.
  48. Pistol shrimp can make a sound louder than a gunshot with just their claws.
  49. There are more historical artifacts in the ocean than in all the museums in the world combined.
  50. There are over 2 million species living in the ocean.

Any of these facts are sure to get your students interested in learning more about the ocean and what lives in its depths.

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50 Fun Facts About the Ocean