Early Online Release | Oceanography
To the inhabitants of the deep sea, their world must seem very
different than it seems to us, because they are comprehending it
with vastly different sensors than we have. The more we can per
ceive their world the way they do, the better we’ll understand it.
Our inherent biases limit us.
Revelle and Suess’s “large scale geophysical experiment” is
ongoing. We are in a race to learn more about the ocean and the
seafloor, and the incredible diversity of life therein, as it under
goes increasingly rapid change due to human activities. A sus
tained commitment to technology development is integral to
competing in that race. President J.F. Kennedy, who was a strong
advocate for ocean exploration, marine conservation, and weather
research, summed it up well at his 1961 commencement address at
the US Naval Academy:
Knowledge of the oceans is more than a matter of curiosity. Our
very survival may hinge upon it.
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Revelle was a pioneer in oceanography who over his 50-year career pursued innovative research and
created a vision that still influences the field of oceanography to this day. A strong proponent of sci
ence communication and public policy, Revelle was a leader in encouraging the scientific community
to devote time to address the “long-range problems of society” (Day, 2000, quoting Revelle, 1957).
For his contributions to geophysics, Revelle was elected to membership in the National Academy of
Sciences (NAS). Revelle’s commitment to science policy is evident in his extensive contributions to the
work of the NAS. Revelle served as a member of the Ocean Studies Board and its predecessor (Ocean
Sciences Board) from 1983 to 1987. He also served on the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate
(1982–1986) and as a committee member for several influential National Academies’ studies.
Roger Revelle
Photo credit: SIO Archives, UCSD