The ocean
The ocean
Prof Dr Jürgen Rullkötter
Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment Wouldn't it be practical if the ocean were suddenly dry and we could drive to America by car? That's not a good idea, because without water there would be no fish and no other life on earth. There would also be no clouds to provide us with drinking water. The ocean also controls our climate. Without the warm Gulf Stream, we would have to freeze in winter. 
The ocean is also a treasure chest. Everything that was once in the water collects at its bottom - especially the remains of dead organisms. They take a secret down with them: the description of their living conditions. If we want to know what the earth was like when the dinosaurs lived, we can find the answer in the ocean floor. To do this, we have to drill deep, which is no easy task. A "journey" by submersible takes us into a deep part of the ocean that is so hostile to life that not even fish can live there.
Moderator: Anke Genius (NDR) Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 4.30 p.m.
Audimax Hörsaalzentrum