Why is the Ocean Blue?

Ever wondered why the ocean is actually blue? In reality, there are many different explanations that in combination help explain the reason the ocean is blue. To help you understand the theory we’ve created an amazing little short. The video deals with the reflections of light, and so we begin with a short intro in Chicago at the famous bean statue! From there we head to Honduras, for a diving adventure to the bottom of the ocean

Untamed Science Feature: Why is the Ocean Blue?

Now that you’ve seen the video, do you understand better? It has everything to do with the way light is reflected and absorbed by water. Remember, light is made of different wavelengths of light. We perceive these wavelengths as colors. Water absorbs the different wavelengths at different intensities. Essentially, red is the first to get absorbed, and blue and green the last. That’s why pictures of scuba divers at depth appear to have grey-blue skin! There is no more red in the water for the camera to pick up.

More Sources Explaining – Why the Ocean appears Blue

Written by Rob Nelson

Rob is an ecologist from the University of Hawaii. He is the co-creator and director of Untamed Science. His goal is to create videos and content that are entertaining, accurate, and educational. When he's not making science content, he races whitewater kayaks and works on Stone Age Man.

Published: 10/13

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