Images

Oceanography

Oceanography

Prerequisites

Requires:

• Computer
• Radar

Statistics

Gives:

• Drilling Platform

Gameplay

Oceanography begins the real exploitation of both the shallow and deep waters of the oceans. The Drilling Platform can increase Production from Swamps as well as Shallow Oceans.

Historical

The real exploration of the ocean did not begin until people could see under the oceans’ surface. Early attempts to do this were all focused on physically going and looking yourself: pearl, sponge, and oyster divers were doing just that, some with primitive artificial aids to breathing, since Classical times. The first comprehensive view of the ocean depths was made possible by anti-submarine warfare: the SONAR systems that allowed surface vessels in World War Two to detect submarines could also be used to detect and map the natural contours of the ocean floor. Other remote sensors, like the Magnetic Anomaly Detectors, and deep-sensing Radars, were based on exploitation of parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. In addition to an increasing array of remote sensing devices, people went deeper and deeper into the waters themselves. Diving suits with oxygen supplied from the surface were used in the early 19th century in bridge and pier construction and Jacque Cousteau pioneered the development of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) gear to free individual divers from their air hoses. Really deep personal explorations began in the last half of the twentieth century with strong pressure hulls for specialized exploring submersible craft and then with remote-controlled deep diving robot craft.