Earth Science question: How do multiple oceans benefit Man?

[Kyer]

This came up in a private conversation and I realized I had no idea, but am interested in the answer.

Assuming it does matter, how does the Earth's continents being divided into separate continents help Mankind survive on the world---as opposed to if the world was still just a vast continent with an enormous single continent?

Or would it matter?

This question has nothing to do with political squabbles. I'm talking purely earth science effects: climate and such.

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Nevermind. Google gave me the word 'Pangea' and some interesting discussions on this very topic.
So far it looks like we should be glad there are Seven Seas (and not just for things like The Seven Seas of Sinbad.)

[CSTowle]

Sounds more like a creation science question. Why would one ever assume anything is for the benefit of man (other than man's actions)?

[Mikekerr3]

This came up in a private conversation and I realized I had no idea, but am interested in the answer.

Assuming it does matter, how does the Earth's continents being divided into separate continents help Mankind survive on the world---as opposed to if the world was still just a vast continent with an enormous single continent?

Or would it matter?

This question has nothing to do with political squabbles. I'm talking purely earth science effects: climate and such.

-------
Nevermind. Google gave me the word 'Pangea' and some interesting discussions on this very topic.
So far it looks like we should be glad there are Seven Seas (and not just for things like The Seven Seas of Sinbad.)

the weather effects of being too far from the sea are pretty extreme, especially outside the tropics

Continental Climate is a royal B****

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_climate

Chigago is at about the same latitude as the south of France

[Kyer]

the weather effects of being too far from the sea are pretty extreme, especially outside the tropics

Continental Climate is a royal B****

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_climate

Chigago is at about the same latitude as the south of France

So I'm reading. Wow.
Also found some animation on the drift of the continets through time and going forward a million years from now. Majorly cool.

On an off note: search also brought up some movies of the Disneyland Train ride with animitronic Grand Canyon/Dinosaurs. Double wow. That took me far back in my own time line! Was one of my favorite rides back in the day. I even had the View-Master reel of it.

Science!

Pity it took being out of work to remember all the stuff that used to enthrall me as a young one.

As for this question stemming from Creationism....in a way. I have no problem with God being the first head cosmology scientist, though. To me there is no conflict.

[Toreador]

It probably did centuries ago when there wasn't international travel. The Black Plague in Europe wouldn't spread into Australia or the Americas but now when someone could hop a plane for another country or ships could dock into ports around the world isolation from trouble is getting rare.

[the4thpip]

And because evolution, we have a larger variety of tasty meats to consume like ostrich and kangaroo. Yum!

[Motown Rage]

Is this a homework question?

[Mikekerr3]

Sounds more like a creation science question. Why would one ever assume anything is for the benefit of man (other than man's actions)?

Whewthr it helps ort hurts has no bearing on whether it was somehow intended to help or hurt, The big ball of molten metal in the Earths core helps quite a bit, but that doesn't mean it was placed there with a purpose

[Kyer]

Is this a homework question?

I hate this tablet.....,
No. :-) Just read a bible quote on seperating the waters which turned into a discussion of what ifs.
Have always been fascinated with space and how the planet works but had to many immediate concerns to pursue it much beyond space pics as comp wallpaper and the odd yt vid.

I swear I'm going to blow up this tablet. ugh.

[lancerman]

Politically it had a huge effect. Just for an easy example the United States benefited a lot over the last 200 years not being directly connected to Europe and Asia.

[Jack Dracula]

Here's some more information on how the oceans effect the planetary climate (and therefore benefit man):

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/conveyor.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermohaline_circulation

If anyone ever poses the the question of how climate is affected by the incremental heating of the atmosphere and the resulting melting of the ice caps you can tell them specifically why we should all be worried.
Incidentally, you could have googled this on your own.

[Kyer]

Here's some more information on how the oceans effect the planetary climate (and therefore benefit man):

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/conveyor.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermohaline_circulation

If anyone ever poses the the question of how climate is affected by the incremental heating of the atmosphere and the resulting melting of the ice caps you can tell them specifically why we should all be worried.
Incidentally, you could have googled this on your own.

Yes, I could have.
However, googling only gets me documentation.
Forum questions garners documentation and opinion/discussions. Interaction makes it more interesting.

Loved these videos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVJNLSwCGHc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38peWm76l-U

[thespianphryne]

It doesn't benefit* anyone. It's just a consequence of physical forces. And we happen to have adapted to it.



*in the sense of volitional agency

[Blue Light]

And because evolution, we have a larger variety of tasty meats to consume like ostrich and kangaroo. Yum!

SokkaThumb.jpg

Sokka approves of this post!

[Kyer]

Not that it matters or is why I started this, but I happen to believe in Divine Creation & Design and these videos just cement this for me. That is not my declaring war on atheists or for that matter carnivores/omnivores. What people believe in is of no matter to me as long as persecution isn't in the package.

The Nova Earth From Space video is particularly fascinating as I'd not known before seeing it about how Waddel ice shelf in Antarctica is a regulating system for the whole ocean bed or that a spot in the Sahara is feeding the rain forests in South America....oxygen production.
When I add these new insights onto this planet with the ideas postulated by The Electric Universe cosmology scientists researching electricity/plasma/magnetism as the prime mechanisms of the cosmos....how it all looks to be connected like a finely tuned machine? The Earth as part of a life-orientated universe rather than a lone globe of muck adrift amidst black hole mines?

Well, lets just say I haven't been this excited about science in a long time where in middle & high school we were just given dry textbooks to read and any quiz exam answers had to be from those or you failed the classes. Oh, and dissecting some poor frog. (The last put me off enrolling for more science classes as I was vegetarian at the time.)
Want to learn more about current research and new ideas both in health and the physical sciences.

Science!