Oceans cover more than two-thirds of the world's surface. Man who has long used the oceans to provide food and for his communications now turn to their depths for new adventure and discovery, new fields for his harvesting. The fascination of the oceans is in part that they represent a realm that is still largely unkown, a force of almost unbelievable physical energy, a near untapped source of many forms of wealth. On his capacity to learn the persisting secrets of the oceans, and the reap due harvest from them to meet his ever increasing needs, Man's destiny in no small part depends.



The exhibits introduces an exciting sense of personal involvement.

Man and the Oceans is presented in the entry area with a vast animated pictorial display of the oceans and the origins of life.

Then in the first dispay area, Man on the Oceans, the visitors has the impression that he is surrounded by ocean. There is an effect of the waves breaking. Ancient and modern navigation is described. So is the role of the oceans as a weather generator.

The aera Man in the Oceans deals with Man's penetration of the depths. In a large aquarium, aquanauts are seen at work. Diving vehicules, including equipment used by Commandant Cousteau in his research, are on display. A complete operation in the ocean depths is simulated.

The physical aspects area is devoted to such subjets as ocean currents, the cycle of evaporation, condensation et precipitation, and the oceans as reservoirs of heat and fresh water.

The consequences display summarizes dramatically the survival potential which the oceans represent for man - offering resources and products essential in a future not far distant.

A large animated model supplied by the Netherlands Government shows the famous Zuider Zee Land Reclamation project.

( Document: Official Guide of l'Expo 67, Copyright 1967 by Maclean-Hunter Publishing Co. Ltd. )