1.7K views · 39 reactions | Explore how scientists and GIS specialists create a habitat ecosystem map of the seafloor—a key component of marine biogeography. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/biogeography.html #GeographyAwareness | National Ocean Service | Facebook

Did you know that the age of the seafloor varies with location? The surface of the Earth is composed of a mosaic tectonic plates moving with respect to each other. The Earth is made of seven major plates and several smaller plates. Along divergent boundaries where tectonic plates are pulling apart, new crust is formed. At convergent boundaries, where tectonic plates are coming together, you will find the oldest seafloor. Read more about this dataset here: https://sos.noaa.gov/catalog/datasets/ag

How quickly can you map a section of the seafloor the size of Paris? And do it without human intervention with equipment that fits within a 40ft container? Members of Team Tao (subsea engineering experts from Newcastle University and Soil Machine Dynamics) talk about their unique solution to this problem, which will represent the UK in the final of the prestigious £5.5m Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE competition. | Newcastle University