Long before there were fast food restaurants, the oceans helped sustain human life. Covering 70 percent of the surface area of our globe, the oceans are vast and mysterious and primal and pretty much everywhere you go. What is El Niño and how does it affect the oceans and the weather? What is a riptide? Where does the salt in seawater come from? Are there mountains undersea? How many species of fish exist in the world? Can an ocean be a color other than blue? How do whales breathe? Are volcanoes forming in the oceans today? Boy, we have some questions. The Handy Ocean Answer Book tackles these and 1,000 other questions on ocean life, waterspouts, whirlpools, ocean shelves, tides and quakes, ocean bottoms, navigation, famous shipwrecks, and the effects of pollution and global warming. Plus, you'll find out what clues the ocean has revealed about the origins and evolution of life on our planet and major climate changes. With 180 photos and illustrations, this book will please dedicated landlubbers and salty sailors alike.