Conclusions
The benefits of oceans and ocean science for improving our
health and well-being are enormous. The discoveries of marinederived
medicines, research tools, and other products, coupled
with the basic and applied research leading to new discoveries,
are already improving the lives of people all around the world.
Ocean science is essential for developing effective ways of protecting
communities from harmful toxins, such as those produced
by harmful algal blooms, and dangerous pathogens, such as
cholerae, as well as the potential dangers from sewage leaks transmitted
through the sea. Exciting new research on the mechanisms
of disease transmission and the effects of climate and weather
patterns on ocean-related threats can help public health systems
prevent human exposure to illness—in coastal communities and
hundreds of miles inland.
The oceans touch the lives of billions of people in countless
ways. Ocean science can help us understand, predict, and
mitigate the threats within the ocean and develop products to
improve human health.
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