The oceans have it all: from microscopic life to the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth, from the colourless to the shimmering, from the frozen to the boiling and from the sunlit to the mysterious dark of the deepest parts of the planet.

Oceans are an essential component of the Earth’s ecosystem — a source of biodiversity, food, and life. According to FAO, over 40 percent of the world’s population lives within 100 kilometers of the coast. Better management of the ocean resources is thus crucial to ensuring global food security.

We are never too young to start learning about the many benefits our oceans provide. Without them, life could not exist. Although the list is almost endless, here are seven to start off with: