User:Reneeterry05!/Ocean exploration

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Ocean exploration is a part of oceanography describing the exploration of ocean surfaces. Notable explorations were undertaken by the Greeks, the Romans, the Polynesians, the Phoenicians, Phytheas, Herodotus, the Vikings, the Portuguese, and Muslims. Scientific investigations began with early scientists such as James Cook, Charles Darwin, and Edmund Halley. Oceanography as a formal science emerged with the H.M.S. Challenger Expedition (1872-1876), marking the beginning of comprehensive data collection related to ocean temperatures, chemistry, currents, marine life, and seafloor geology. However, modern oceanography truly began to take shape during World War II, driven by the U.S. Navy's desire to understand the oceans for strategic advantages. This era witnessed significant advancements in shipbuilding, diving, navigation, depth measurement, exploration techniques, and cartography, laying the groundwork for further oceanographic exploration. By the late 1950s and '60s, the advent of underwater vehicles, such as submersibles, revolutionized oceanographic exploration. Today, a plethora of sophisticated tools, including buoys, water column samplers, coring devices, sonar, and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), are employed to comprehensively study the ocean. These advancements not only enhance our understanding of oceanic processes but also shed light on the intricate relationship between the ocean and life on Earth.