#VIRTUAL AQUARIUM FULL#

#VIRTUAL AQUARIUM FULL#

The intent is to drive ocean literacy to provide a full spectrum of marine science information, to be a resource for formal and informal teaching and learning, to suggest an environment, immediate and effective, as wide, deep and dynamic as the ocean itself. But it will have no barrier to entry, no ticket price, no distance to travel. World Ocean Explorer does not substitute the experience of being near the ocean, nor does it supplant the physical scale of a real aquarium space. Environments will reflect real-world physical and chemical properties of the ocean such as pressure, temperature, and salinity. Terrain will be expansive and complex and will contain a wide range of geological and mineralogical features such as caves, canyons, and hydrothermal vents. Each species is part of a searchable database complete with 3d models information and diagrams related to anatomy habitat, range and migration maps in-depth descriptions diet threats conservation efforts resources and more.Įach environmental locale will be populated with a wide variety of plant and animal species, both common and rarely seen. As users interact with the tanks they can choose to learn about invertebrates, marine mammals, reptiles, sea birds, and more. Inside the aquarium environment will be a number of species tanks. The goal of Explorer is to propel students toward further ocean exploration and to promote ocean literacy worldwide. Explorer opens doors to the infinite possibilities associated with ocean science and exploration! It will encourage users to take self-explored or guided tours through ocean exhibits within the aquarium, to learn about a variety of marine species, to connect educators with content, curriculum, teaching modules, goal-oriented activities, and to teach students about habitat, chemistry, geography, weather, climate, oceanography, and much more. To be made available in classrooms around the world at no cost to students, teachers or educational institutions, Explorer is a thoughtfully imagined and rendered aquarium environment, in the future to include a virtual remotely-operated submersible that students can board for simulated journeys to a variety of ocean locales including the deep sea, the coastal zone, a coral reef, or a maritime cultural tradition. Explorer uses the power of game-based learning to transform education both in and out of the classroom and to encourage ocean literacy among students and educators to more fully explore the influence and importance of the ocean and our relationship to it. What lies beyond the traditional aquarium setting? What tools do we have to excite young people about ocean systems and the importance of ocean health? How do we promote enthusiasm for knowledge of the ocean world? What if the games we play can teach us the science of the ocean world? What if education were as exciting as online gaming?Įnter World Ocean Explorer: a game-based learning environment designed to promote ocean literacy and excitement for ocean exploration amongst students ages 10 and up worldwide. However, only 11% of the world population has ever visited an aquarium, and global public awareness of the ocean and ocean issues has not advanced much over the last decade. They help us understand ocean processes, and to use on-sight experiences to stimulate and explain the vast ocean world. These institutions have played an important role in ocean conservation and education throughout our history. There was a time when the best way to encounter the wonders of the sea was to visit an aquarium. For those who desire an immersive experience, or wish to encounter species newly discovered or not otherwise displayed in a traditional aquarium setting, let me begin this year by introducing World Ocean Explorer: a place for learning about the vast diversity and mystery of the ocean world, a virtual tool for understanding ocean systems, and for experience of what it is that the ocean provides for the benefit of us all. To understand it, to immerse ourselves in it, is an opportunity not available to us all. The ocean is wide, deep, dynamic, and essential to every aspect of our lives. I’m Peter Neill, Director of the World Ocean Observatory.

Virtual aquarium