The Evolution of Oceanography: From Ancient Navigation to Modern Science
Explore the fascinating history of oceanography, tracing its evolution from ancient civilizations to modern scientific endeavors. Discover how early explorers like the Phoenicians and Polynesians navigated the oceans without modern technology, and learn about pivotal figures such as Eratosthenes and Ptolemy. Understand the motivations behind ocean exploration, including trade, defense, and scientific inquiry. The course delves into the Age of Discovery, highlighting key explorations by Columbus and Cook, and examines contemporary oceanographic practices and technologies that advance our understanding of marine science.
The Evolution of Oceanography: From Ancient Navigation to Modern Science
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Presentation Transcript
Introduction Course overview History of Oceanography
Interdisciplinary • Biology • Chemistry • Physics • Geology • Geography • Political Science • Mathematics • Computer Science
History of Oceanography • Early • Age of Discovery • Science and the Oceans • Modern Oceanography • Different motivations at different times
Early history • Reasons: trade, fishing, defense Self centered view of Earth • Examples
Early history (2) Difficult to navigate without shorelines • Phoenicians (approx. 1000 BC) • Polynesians (300-600 AD most important)
Early history (3) • Greeks (approx. 500 BC) • Erasthosthenes (working in Egypt) – circumference of earth • Pliny the Elder – phases of moon and tides • Ptolemy(approx. 150 AD) – vast ocean, used lat and long • Middle Ages: very little exploration except • Vikings (approx. 1000 AD) • Arabs
Age of Discovery (1) • Travel for economic, political and religious reasons • Portugal: • Prince Henry • Dias (1497) • Vasco Da Gama (1498)
Age of Discovery (2) Spain • Columbus (1492) • Vespucci (~1500) • Balboa (1513) • Magellan (1522)
Age of Discovery (3) Discovery with some science • James Cook (1768-1780) • Endeavour, Resolution, Adventure • Ben Franklin (1769) • Matthew F. Maury (early 1800s)
Purely scientific • Challenger Expedition (1872-1876) • Extremely significant
More for science • Voyages of Nansen aboard Fram (end of 1800s) • Meteor expedition (1925-27)
Modern Oceanography (20th century) • International • Interdisciplinary • Scientific • Complex instruments • “Modern” technology
Modern Oceanography • US funding – NSF, ONR, NOAA • Oceanographic institutes • Drill ships, satellites, for example • International cooperation