Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected].
What would happen to the ocean if we took out all the fish? – Reny, age 12
The ocean is massive and covers most of the surface of our planet. In addition to its size, it’s packed with life, ranging from an astounding diversity of plants, microbes, worms, corals and crabs to squids, whales and, yes, even fish. The ocean is full of fish, so much so that they make up the second-largest amount of all carbon – the material that makes up living things – in the entire animal kingdom. They’re just behind the group containing insects and crustaceans.
Most people only interact with the ocean from a beach or in a boat, so it can be hard to wrap your head around how many fish there really are. But the ocean is swarming with them, from its surface to its depths.
Google has opened its defense against allegations that it holds an illegal monopoly on online advertising technology with witness testimony saying the industry is vastly more complex and competitive than portrayed by the federal government