Opinion: Our active planet, part I

When I was in elementary school, we learned that there were five oceans: Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Indian, and Antarctic. Then, for some reason, the Antarctic disappeared from the geographic lexicon. I don’t know why. At the time, I speculated that perhaps it was because a significant part of that former ocean was a landmass, called Antarctica. But that was uninformed guesswork.

Anyway, in 2000, the members participating in the International Hydrographic Organization designated the waters surrounding Antarctica as the Southern Ocean. So, during my lifetime, five oceans became four oceans became five oceans. Now, geologists and other scientists believe that we are witnessing the creation of a sixth ocean in East Africa. Just one more reason that we need to continue to promote lifelong learning. Facts change as science progresses.

The sixth ocean

This sixth ocean will not be the product of a change in vocabulary or the redesignation of existing bodies of water. Writing for HowStuffWorks, Clarissa Mitton states, “In the heart of East Africa, a seismic event is unfolding that could forever alter the continent’s geographical landscape.” In essence, the continent is being torn apart by the movement of tectonic plates. Parts of California experience plate movement that causes earthquakes. However, in the Horn of Africa, the movement is much more severe, and the consequences are far more dramatic over geologic time.