An octopus’s speed of travel never exceeds that of the surrounding waves. That same octopus employs amazing camouflaging talents — changing color, shape, and even its texture, pattern and brightness — to blend in to its surroundings. Photo by Fotolia/Anion

The deep sea is the largest museum on Earth: There are more artifacts and remnants of history in the ocean than in all of the world’s museums, combined. Photo by Fotolia/Paul Vinten

The oceans may make up 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, but we know very little about them, especially compared to our knowledge of the Earth’s land spaces — or even those of Mars and Venus. Consider this: We made it all the way to the moon a full four years before we saw the largest mountain range on Earth, lying below the oceans' surface.

Life in the oceans of this planet, even the very little we know about is unrivaled in its beauty and strangeness. Furthermore, the promise of what it may teach us about the planet we live on stretches the imagination.

To give you an idea of the numerous surprises that dwell in the oceans, and hopefully make you eager to learn more, here are 15 fun tidbits about the awe-inspiring world that lies below the oceans’ surface.

Interesting Ocean Facts

1. For starters, did you know that 94 percent of life on Earth is aquatic? That makes us land-dwellers a very small minority.

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2. About 70 percent of the planet is ocean, with an average depth of more than 12,400 feet. Given that photons (light) can’t penetrate more than 330 feet below the water’s surface, most of our planet is in a perpetual state of darkness.

3. Fifty percent of the United States (in terms of our complete legal jurisdiction, which includes ocean territory) lies below the ocean.