This course seeks to cover a variety of topics relevant to understanding the ocean. The class will be structured with a primarily biological focus, using a phylogenetic structure to cover marine taxa. Each week will be centered around one or two phyla, and will use the organisms of the group to cover anatomy and physiology, evolutionary relationships, natural history, and a related physical science concept. Physical science topics will be interdisciplinary and incorporate aspects of chemistry and physics, however, no scientific background is necessary to enroll.