National Geographic announces the existence of a fifth ocean on Earth

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Millions of children around the world have grown up with basic geography facts: There are seven continents and four oceans. National Geographic, one of the most prominent and articulate cartographic groups in the world, has officially decreed the existence of a fifth ocean, known as the Southern Ocean, the body of water surrounding Antarctica.

The location where the southernmost parts of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet has long been an interest to oceanographers. Changes to world maps are usually the result of political changes, such as the split of Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, or Swaziland's vote to change its name to Eswatini.

“Part of mapping the world is using place names and features that are commonly used among people who are describing the world,” Alex Tait, a geoscientist at National Geographic, explained to Ufaq News. Tait adds that although National Geographic is famous in the world of cartography, there are people who actually use the term Southern Ocean.

“Oceanologists will probably be thrilled that (the Southern Ocean) will be on National Geographic maps,” says Ufoq News climate editor Angela Fritz. “I can’t think of any Earth scientists who would disagree with the label.” In turn, Tait explains, “When it comes to understanding the oceans, you have to start with the basics,” explaining: “There is one global ocean and they are all interconnected.”

"We're really talking about ocean regions, and traditionally there are the four regions: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic. But for many years, scientists and others have used the term Southern Ocean to describe the ocean region around Antarctica," Tait added.

So, what makes the Southern Ocean different? “You move from the warmer waters in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans to the very cold waters around Antarctica, and then the salinity decreases,” Tait points out.

"There are special animals, like minke whales, certain types of seals, penguins, fish, and birdlife is also abundant in the Southern Ocean based on those environmental factors." Part of the motivation behind National Geographic's decision to name a fifth ocean, which was announced on World Oceans Day on June 8, is that giving a place a specific name also gives it status.

Although many countries and organizations around the world recognize the Southern Ocean, not everyone agrees on exactly where it is located. National Geographic officially uses 60 degrees south latitude to draw water boundaries.

However, Australia considers everything south of its country to be the Southern Ocean. Climate change plays a role in trying to determine where its limits are.

French explorer and ecologist Jean-Louis Etienne recently announced that he had invented a floating laboratory specifically designed to study the Southern Ocean. The laboratory, known as the Polar Pod, will float on the water at a slow speed in order to "circle" around Antarctica and collect data.

Etienne aims to complete and launch this project by 2024, but the ocean waters are not empty at the moment. The Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observing and Modeling (SOCCOM) project, run by Princeton University, has sent about 200 robotic buoys into the ocean, all equipped with sensors that measure salinity, oxygen levels, chlorophyll, and other environmental data.

However, it will be difficult for travelers to add the Southern Ocean to their travel lists. Traveling may be difficult, but it is not impossible.

Basically, you'll need to join a ship heading to Antarctica.