A Home in the Ocean – The Development of Human Living Space

Author: Sun Weixin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: This book is a part of the "Exploring the Unknown World" series. The series aims to provide Chinese youth with a pathway to the unknown world, guiding them to boldly explore it and make significant discoveries in the realm of human knowledge. It also encourages them to develop a spirit of seeking truth in science, a dedication to the pursuit of knowledge in fields such as astronomy, physics, atomic science, and life sciences, and to cultivate innovative thinking and abilities. In June 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton announced a national marine exploration initiative, which would conduct field research on three underwater environments near California, New York, and Florida. To support this plan, the U.S. invested ten times the funding allocated for space exploration, marking the beginning of a new era in marine research.
Why is the U.S. investing heavily in studying these three underwater locations? Over 95% of the ocean floor remains a mysterious world, holding secrets that may hold the key to human origins or even miraculous substances for treating diseases. Hudson Canyon, located 160 kilometers north of New York City, is one of the most distinctive marine regions on the U.S. East Coast, home to many ecologically and economically valuable marine species. The Gulf of Mexico in Florida is rich in reefs and volcanic vents, with numerous underwater organisms thriving in sunlit areas, including clams and giant longevity worms. Davidson Seamount, stretching 48 kilometers and rising 2.7 kilometers above the seabed in Monterey, California, is also a habitat for a diverse range of deep-sea life. The U.S. has organized a series of research initiatives to strengthen marine studies and development, exploring marine life, volcanic activity, and the mysteries of Earth's biological origins. This is a highly meaningful underwater scientific expedition. Some scientists predict that humans will settle in the oceans in the 21st century.
The ocean is the cradle of life and the homeland of humanity. Over 3.5 billion years ago, the formation of the primitive ocean made the emergence of life possible. By 4 million years ago, life blossomed into its most magnificent form—humans—since then, humanity has been inseparably linked to the ocean. The vast ocean covers approximately 71% of the Earth's surface, nearly 2.4 times the size of land, serving as the planet's "air conditioner" and the primary source of terrestrial precipitation. It is home to over 200,000 species of organisms, contains about 45% of the world's exploitable oil reserves, and is rich in mineral deposits. The turbulent waters of the ocean hold immense energy.
The 1992 World Conference on Environment and Development brought new insights into the ocean. Recognized as a critical component of the human life support system and a valuable asset for sustainable development, the ocean regulates Earth's environment, influencing many factors of human survival. It not only holds resources already utilized but also vast untapped strategic reserves, essential for supporting humanity's continued growth. In the face of growing crises in population, resources, and the environment, the resource-rich ocean undoubtedly offers humanity a vital path forward—a second life space.
The ocean provides humanity with unlimited, pollution-free renewable energy. Estimates suggest that the force of ocean waves can reach 20 to 30 tons per square meter (1 ton-force = 9.8 kilonewtons), with some waves reaching as high as 60 tons. Massive waves can hurl rocks weighing tens of tons to heights of 20 meters or push massive ships ashore. Scientists calculate that the ocean's waves could generate up to 9 trillion kilowatts of electricity. Waves are caused by wind friction and pressure on seawater, making wave energy essentially another form of wind energy. The basic principle involves using the periodic rise and fall of ocean waves to drive an air-filled wind box, which produces high-speed airflow to power an air turbine and generator. Currently, countries like the U.S., Japan, the U.K., and India have established wave energy power stations.
China boasts over 18,000 kilometers of mainland coastline and more than 14,000 kilometers of island coastline, with over 6,000 islands larger than 500 square meters. The "blue homeland" holds abundant resources, and as terrestrial resources dwindle, the ocean is quietly becoming a space for the prosperity and development of the Chinese nation. However, despite being a maritime, China is not yet a maritime.
"Reaching for the moon is nothing compared to catching a giant clam in the depths," as ancient Greek oceanographer Demosthenes once said, "He who controls the sea controls everything." To accelerate marine research and development, China declared its goal of becoming a modern maritime at the dawn of the 21st century. According to reports, after extensive research by numerous experts, China's marine industry will focus on the ten-word principle of "rights, wealth, health, safety, and science." Over the next five decades, China has set 12 specific development targets, including: conducting environmental and resource surveys of maritime areas; establishing 2 to 3 national key laboratories and engineering centers to develop a comprehensive marine environmental monitoring system for China's coastal waters; achieving forecasts of storm surges, nearshore waves, and surface temperatures; creating a marine geographic information system with a detailed scale; establishing ecological restoration demonstration zones and a marine environmental protection information system; cultivating 10 high-quality, high-yield, and resilient varieties, and developing 10 high-value marine pharmaceuticals and biological products; and forming exploration technologies for continental shelf areas. The goal is to elevate China's marine science and technology to the level of developed countries by the mid-1990s in the early 21st century, with some fields reaching international advanced standards within five years.
Studying the ocean is the prerequisite and key to developing it. In this regard, Chinese scientists are moving closer to global standards. According to the "Frontiers of Marine Science in the 21st Century," Chinese marine experts have, for the first time, listed 118 cutting-edge marine research topics. This initiative, proposed by academicians like Zhou Guangzhao in 1994 and involving over 100 Chinese marine scientists, covers key research directions in marine physics, chemistry, geology, biology, and environmental science. These topics will play a crucial role in China's understanding, utilization, and protection of the ocean.
Without a healthy ocean, there is no Earth or its life systems. The concern for the ocean ultimately reflects humanity's concern for its own fate.
In the coming oceanic century, humans will build cities on a large scale in the ocean, swimming freely like fish in the water today. "The ocean of the 21st century will be a 'digital ocean'," and one day, people taking private yachts on ocean tours will be able to access real-time information about their routes and destinations, including climate and environmental conditions, via the internet.