Carla Power is the author ofIf The Oceans Were Ink: An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran(Henry Holt, April 2015). Meta: null © 2026 TIME ...
On the C-SPAN Networks: Carla Power is an Author and Journalist with one video in the C-SPAN Video Library; the first appearance was a 2016 Interview. Carla Power talked about her book, If the Oceans ...
For much of recorded history, Earth was said to have four named oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. However, many countries—including the United States —now recognize the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean as the fifth.
Oceans are thought to have formed in the Hadean eon and may have been the cause for the emergence of life. Plate tectonics, post-glacial rebound, and sea level rise continually change the coastline and structure of the world ocean.
Since the year 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) started recognizing 5 oceans: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern Ocean.
have divided it into five principal areas: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans. The Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans merge into icy waters around Antarctica.
However, those conducting oceanic research generally recognize the existence of five major oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic oceans. Arbitrary boundaries separate these bodies of water, but they are largely defined by the continents that frame them.
Oceans cover over 70% of Earth’s surface, making them the planet’s largest ecosystem. They hold about 97% of all water on Earth and are vital to life everywhere.
Oceans define our home planet, covering the majority of Earth’s surface and driving the water cycle that dominates our land and atmosphere.