The ocean remains a vast, relatively unexplored realm with the capacity to directly impact the safety, health and welfare of society. Exploration is where science begins. Gaining access to information about the ocean has always been the fundamental hurdle for oceanography. Scientists have discovered new ecological communities in the deep ocean with unique biochemical systems, which may provide insights to the origins of life on Earth. Data from satellites, research vessels, buoys, floats and drilling platforms have been augmented by the creation of autonomous underwater vehicles and new airborne systems.
