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Oceans

A Perfect Planet Series 1
Episode 4 of 5

How Earth's five oceans connect to form the largest ecosystem on the planet, and how its network of currents supports the health of the seas and marine wildlife.

Oceans are the largest ecosystem on earth, covering two thirds of our world’s surface and providing half the oxygen in our atmosphere. They are home to as much as 80 per cent of all life on earth, and nearly three billion people rely on them for their primary source of food.

But our planet’s oceans would be little more than stagnant wastelands, and life on earth - not just in the oceans - would cease to exist, were it not for one simple factor: a global network of powerful currents. Every drop of seawater on earth rides these currents, taking 1,000 years to complete a single circuit. Without the constant mixing of currents, tides and waves, our oceans would stop supporting life - and a healthy ocean is vital to a healthy planet.

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58 minutes

Last on

Sun 24 Mar 2024 15:50
±«Óãtv One except Wales, Wales HD & Nightlight

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Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:32

    Bing Wen Li

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Credits

Narrator David Attenborough
Director Ed Charles
Series Producer Huw Cordey
Executive Producer Alastair Fothergill
Executive Producer Keith Scholey
Production Manager Jenni Collie

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