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Scuba diving, there’s nothing like it.

You are weightless under the waves, breathing underwater, and eye to eye with gazillions of brightly colored fish. Some stare back in equal wonder.

The oceans have played a key role as the epicenter of evolution many times. First, as an incubator allowing animal groups to evolve. Second, as a refuge as the habitability of land masses became compromised during mass extinctions.

Several weeks ago, I was invited to talk at the annual WeRobot conference about underwater robots. From cable laying ROVs to oil rig-inspecting camera systems, the ocean is lousy with robots. The interest isn’t in big robots for industrial work, but rather the small, flexible, agile platforms that we can use to conduct marine science and conservation research.

In the early days of the internet, unless you knew the address of a website or found a list of similar websites, there was no good way of searching for new sources of content. In the mid to late 1990s that changed with the widespread adoption of search engines.

Whenever the news media or a member of the public report a shark sighting they are invariably asked to describe the length and overall size of the fish. How big was it? It’s the first, most obvious question. The implication being, of course, how scared should we be? Are we going to need a bigger boat?

Just as the industrial revolution heralded advancements in production and mechanical efficiency, computers and the internet marked the beginning of the information age. Originally, a computer referred to someone who performs mathematical calculations.

The whole purpose of technology is to make our lives easier. It’s in the definition! According to Merriam-Webster, technology is defined as “the use of science in industry, engineering, etc., to invent useful things or solve problems”¹.

So, what is the most important living thing in the ocean? Perhaps it is the magnificent blue whale? Blue whales are the largest living animals on Earth. The average blue whale reaches lengths of almost 100 feet, or 30 meters, and can weight up to 170 tons.

Who said Colorado is 1,000 miles from the sea? Isn’t it a matter of perspective and, more importantly, timing? One would normally be hard pressed to refute the geographical certainty of Colorado relative to the ocean, but if you asked the question one hundred million years ago, you’d get a very different answer.

It was a typical Monday, the start of a new week. It happened to be Monday, March 28. I had a typical day ahead—breakfast, coffee, and then feed my seven-month-old daughter, share a few giggles.

And think about her future.

Like many people, my fascination for the ocean began on vacation. Born and raised in Colorado, vacations almost always entailed going to the beach. Whether it was snorkeling in the Bahamas, swimming with sea turtles in Maui, or watching the Shamu show at SeaWorld, every time we visited the coast, I became increasingly captivated by the ocean and the organisms it housed.

There are many human activities in the world that are grotesquely wasteful when it comes to exploiting the bounty provided by the Earth.

Right up there at the top of list, right next to elephants being poached for their ivory, is the practice of shark finning.

Just as taxes ensure vital services to our communities, sharks are critical to the functioning of marine communities.

And, just like taxes, some of us may not like sharks. In fact, we might prefer to avoid thinking about them. But without sharks, our marine communities would fall into disrepair.

Ocean First Education and Mission Blue share a passion for educating the public about the criticality of the ocean and a vision for developing greater respect for it. Because of this shared dedication and vision, Ocean First Education has joined Mission Blue as an affiliate partner.

Sharks Don't Get Cancer

This is completely untrue, in fact there have been many documented cases of sharks getting cancer. Sadly, this is one of the bigger misconceptions in the Chinese medicine industry (where shark fins remain highly prized) and that is helping drive the severe reductions in shark numbers worldwide.