Oceans are large connecting bodies of salt water that take up three-fourths of the earth's surface. The Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans are the largest oceans, but one smaller ocean, the Southern, has just been named. The oceans are home to many different species of animals, and different kinds of plants too. Along the ocean bottom submerged mountains, ocean trenches, and strange animals can be found. Where the ocean meets the land, long coastlines are formed. These coastlines are favorite places for people to work and play. Scientists use many methods to study the ocean landscape and its plant and animal life. Oceans play a large role in Earth's weather, even in the center of large continents. Without the oceans, there would not be life on the planet Earth.