14 MARINE SCIENCE 



Up to that time most people hadn't even heard of oceanography 

 nor could they pronounce the word. Now it is in truth a household 

 word, not only in those States along our great coastline, but right to- 

 the middle of our country where I live. 



You might ask why there has been this sudden increase in interest 

 in the oceans and why it came at this particular period. I think: 

 there are several answers. 



Laboratory science has developed new techniques and methods 

 which we can apply to the sea. Engineering advances have produced 

 vehicles not hitherto available which make it possible to explore the 

 sea more thoroughly. 



Moreover, scientists in recent years in many different fields have 

 shown an awakening interest in the history of our planet, the history 

 of the universe, the origin of life and its development. 



One might say that these huge and wonderfully intriguing ques- 

 tions are the central ones of all science. 



But this awakening means that now the most distinguished and 

 imaginative minds in many, many different branches of science are 

 finding that the oceans are a place to turn to apply their knowledge 

 in order to find some of the answers which, fitted together, will some 

 day tell this history. 



Curiously enough, with our new vehicles and new techniques, many 

 geophysical studies can be better carried out at sea than in man's 

 natural habitat on land. For the history of the earth, the sea pre- 

 serves records in its sedimentary layers like the pages of a book except 

 that ocean sediments are less subjected to the weathering and other 

 changes that make it difficult to interpret the history locked up in the 

 rocks on land. 



For the history of the universe, earth is our handy laboratory.. 

 The same laws that govern the universe govern processes on our planet. 

 If we can understand these processes on earth, it will help us to 

 understand the universe and space. 



As to the origin of life and its development, life started in the sea 

 and biological and ecological studies which relate to the oceans are 

 fundamental in the understanding of all life, including our own, 

 and including the life of organisms in other environments such as 

 space and other planets. 



The various phases of the oceanographic program that you will 

 hear about from my distinguished colleagues will fall into one or the 

 other of these five broad categories. 



Under "observation" we will hear about oceanwide surveys, new 

 devices for observation, research ships and the like. 



Under "understanding," we will hear about the basic research 

 that is necessary to analyze the observational data and the research 

 that is necessary to design further experiments to answer special' 

 questions which in turn will call for new kinds of observations. 



These two categories are followed by "prediction,'^ "control" and' 

 "use." 



Now, ocean resources, that is, conservation, exploitation and their 

 contribution to our economy, to our defense applications, and aspects 

 of radioactivity all fall under the various broad categories of predic- 

 tion, control and use. 



Finally, on the ways and means of carrying out a program of this 

 magnitude, my colleagues will talk about how in the vast oceans we 



