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The sea is the connected body of salty water that covers over 70 percent of the Earth's surface. It moderates the Earth's climate and has important roles in the water , carbon , and nitrogen cycles . It has been travelled since ancient times, while scientific oceanography dates broadly from Captain James Cook 's 18th-century voyages. Winds produce waves and surface currents, and deep-sea currents carry cold water to every ocean. Large events such as submarine earthquakes can cause destructive tsunamis . Tides are caused by the rotation of the Earth and the gravitational effects of the Moon and the Sun. A variety of organisms live in the sea 's many habitats , from the sunlit surface to the cold, dark abyssal zone , and from the Arctic to colourful tropical coral reefs . Life itself may have started in the sea. The sea provides humans with food including fish and shellfish , and enables trade , travel, mineral extraction , power generation , naval warfare , and leisure, though often at the cost of marine pollution . The sea has been important in human culture since Homer 's Odyssey , appearing in literature, mythology , marine art , cinema, theatre, classical music and dream interpretation . (Full article... )
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The Azure Kingfisher (Alcedo azurea ) is a small kingfisher found in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. First described in 1802, seven subspecies are known.
Photo: JJ Harrison
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