Many people use the terms "ocean" and "sea" interchangeably when speaking about the ocean, but there is a difference between the two terms when speaking of geography (the study of the Earth's surface)....

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The origins of the phrase 'Seven Seas' can be traced to ancient times. In various cultures at different times in history, the Seven Seas has referred to bodies of water along trade routes, regional bodies of water, or exotic and far-away bodies of water....

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The National Geodetic Survey is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) program. This program helps scientists and others monitor our ever changing planet by providing highly accurate positioning information....

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There are over 1,700 marine protected areas (MPAs) in the United States established by federal, state, and territorial governments. These areas cover 34 percent of U.S. marine waters and vary widely in their purpose, legal authorities, managing agencies, and level of protection....

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The Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) is primarily responsible for predicting and measuring water levels and currents and disseminating this information. CO-OPS collects, analyzes, and distributes such data to maintain safe maritime navigation and waterborne commerce....

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Experts from NOAA joined a group of eighty scientists, managers, and industry representatives from California, Oregon, and Washington at the first West Coast Regional Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Summit in Portland, Oregon, February 10-12. At the meeting, the representatives endorsed a regional harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring, alert and response network and forecasting system....

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Underwater volcanoes at spreading ridges and convergent plate boundaries produce hot springs known as hydrothermal vents....

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Extremophiles are microorganisms with the ability to thrive in extreme environments such as hydrothermal vents....

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At 3:31 PM on January 15, 2009, U.S. Airways Flight 1549, an Airbus A320 commercial passenger plane, made an emergency water landing on the Hudson River, on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. The National Ocean Service was at the ready, supporting passenger rescue, assessing risk of contamination to the environment, and helping to survey the cold and icy river for the wreckage of the plane....

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Beginning Feb. 2, visitors to Google Earth can also explore the depths of the ocean and discover NOAA information and images along their journey. This extension of the popular online Earth exploration tool also displays information such as weather patterns, currents, temperatures, shipwrecks, coral reefs, and algal blooms....

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