Science & Legacy
Interactive: The Heezen–Tharp World Ocean Floor Map
Our interactive features key regions of the ocean floor and explains how decades of scientific observations were transformed into a vivid portrait of Earth’s hidden landscape. Along the way, you’ll learn how the map was created, meet the people behind it, and discover the marine geology and ocean science that continue to shape our understanding of the planet.
From Marie Tharp to Seabed 2030: Marine Geophysicist Vicki Ferrini on Mapping the Ocean Floor
In honor of Tharp’s birthday, Ferrini discusses the geologist’s pioneering work and how it paved the way for her own collaborative efforts to map the ocean floor.
Lamont’s Marie Tharp: She Drew the Maps That Shook the World
Marie Tharp drew the maps that shook the world, and her grit and brilliance are as legendary as her work.
Marie Tharp's Seafloor: A Story Map by Dr. Vicki Ferrini
Lamont marine geologist Vicki Ferrini's Story Map connects Marie Tharp’s revolutionary work and today's bathymetry mapping. Ferrini is part of a global collaborative effort to map the entire seafloor by the year 2030, called Seabed 2030. Check out the interactive tool that lets you compare Tharp and Heezen's 1959 map with the latest version of the Global Multi-Resolution Topography (GMRT) Synthesis, which is curated today at Lamont with support from the US National Science Foundation.
From Paper to Pixels: The Evolution of Ocean Mapping and Exploration
Lamont marine geologist Vicki Ferrini traces the history of ocean mapping, highlighting pioneering figures like Marie Tharp, whose work revolutionized our understanding of the seafloor and contributed to the plate tectonics revolution. She explores how the field has shifted from a niche domain to a collaborative global effort, involving diverse expertise from across the world. This presentation was part of "Mapping Our World," a Library of Congress celebration of Geography Awareness Week and GIS Day.
Maps as Stories: A Seafloor-Mapping Celebration Honoring Marie Tharp
In celebration of the 100th birthday of pioneering Lamont seafloor mapper Marie Tharp, Andy Revkin explores the storytelling power of cartography with Lamont marine geophysicist Vicki Ferrini and Esri chief scientist and ocean explorer Dawn Wright.
Pod of the Planet: Marie Tharp's Girl Talk
Pod of the Planet celebrates the life of Marie Tharp and the inspiration she has been and continues to be to many scientists today, including Lamont marine geophysicist Vicki Ferrini, whose Seabed 2030 project is picking up where Marie Tharp left off. Listen here.
