162 OCEANOGRAPHY 



for the sea for which, as Dr. Spilhavis said, future generations are 

 going to bhime us. 



When it comes to the introduction of polluting matters into the sea, 

 we must remember that if it were not for the living organisms of the 

 sea, W'C would have far less concern about utilization of the ocean 

 as a receptacle for wastes of all kinds. 



Finally, in terms of contributions to knowledge, most biological 

 work in the sea, even those things related to the greater utilization of 

 fool resources and in trying to solve problems concerning disposal of 

 wastes, most of the work relates to the general area which we call basic 

 research. In this area I think it is particularly important to recognize 

 that not only are things that show^ no practical application at all im- 

 portant but also many things that appear at the present time not to 

 have any practical utilization may add considerably to our knowledge 

 in a practical fashion. 



On the first point I have only to mention the theory of organic 

 evolution to mention one area of knowledge that has had a terrific 

 impact upon the mind of man, with little practical application ; hardly 

 any industrial utilization has been made from this idea, which has 

 probably had the most significant impact of any. 



In terms of increase of knowledge of the way in which living things 

 behave and the way in which the living world is organized, I would 

 like to mention just two or three specific examples. Much of our 

 knowledge of the behavior of nervous tissue has been gained from 

 studies of the squid and studies of the lobster because these organ- 

 isms have nervous systems that are organized somewhat differently 

 from ours and provide experimental material much easier to work 

 with and give us clues that help us to underscore the essential unity 

 and processes of living things. The field of immunology and serology 

 got its start in studies of tlie sting of jellyfish and sea anemones. At 

 the present time investigation of animal toxins from mollusks, crus- 

 taceans, poisonous fislies, et cetera, is an active area in research in 

 pharmacology. 



There are many studies on the minute structure of cells. ]\Iany of 

 the eggs of jellyfishes, for example, are so clear and so transparent 

 that tlieir microscopic study is infinitely easier than that where the 

 structures are more opaque. 



One of the areas of activity with implications for many other areas 

 is the field of animal behavior, navigation, production of underwater 

 sound, underwater light, and so utilization of these activities on 

 the part of marine animals for communication and for navigation. 

 This very brief and quick supei'ficial touching upon these areas I 

 wanted to do so as to point out that in biological work in the sea and 

 other bodies of w^ater we are dealing wdth a tremendously diverse 

 body of information, we are dealing with a subject matter which has 

 a level of complexity that is very great, indeed. 



For this reason biologists as a whole are not concentrated mto two 

 or three or a half-dozen large centers of investigation, but rather are 

 scattered throughout our entire country and represent institutions 

 largo and small. State and private and governmental. It has been 

 long the habit of biologists, university-associated biologists, to iitilize 

 their time during Easter and summer vacations, so-called, to migrate 

 to the seashore and to work there on problems of their own basic re- 

 search interests. 



