45 minutes

Life originated in water

According to some scientists, there are indications that life on Earth originated within the hot underwater geysers appearing at the bottom of seas and oceans. These geysers, bursting with gases rich in various molecules, may have been the first building blocks of life. Their development was supported by the high temperature of hot "chimneys". Could this theory have something to do with our Baltic Sea? No one knows, but it is certain that the climate and landscape of the Baltic Sea have been changing for millions of years and, as a result, resources have been formed at its bottom, which we still use today. Before we get to know them, let's introduce ourselves to the history of said sea.

Stages in the formation of the Baltic Sea

45 minutes

History of creation

An ice age began over 900,000 years ago. The average temperature dropped by an average of 5,5^oC, but there were periods when the annual temperature dropped by up to 10^oC. At that time, the area of ⅓ of the northern hemisphere was in the Arctic climate. In the northern hemisphere, ice sheets, or vast areas of land covered by thick ice, were forming on land in Europe, North America, and Asia. 100,000 years ago, an ice sheet called the Scandinavian ice sheet formed. It began to melt due to climate warming 12 thousand years ago, giving rise to the Baltic Sea.

History of creation

45 minutes

Baltic Ice Lake

Each successive advance of the continental glacier caused the dip of the bedrock beneath it. This decrease in the earth's surface was gradually filled with water as the Scandinavian ice sheet melted and retreated from northern Poland. As a result, two lakes were formed. As the melting process continued, the waters in the two bodies of water merged to form the Baltic Ice Lake. At that time, the Baltic Sea was completely sweet and frozen for most of the year, with icebergs floating on it. This lasted for about three thousand years, during which the body of the Baltic Ice Lake continued to grow. The Baltic Sea then extended from the shores of Lithuania to the western shores of Denmark.

Baltic Ice Lake

45 minutes

Yoldia Sea

As the ice sheet continued to melt and retreat, water from the Baltic Ice Lake poured over the small strip of land separating the lake from the ocean. Because the lake was higher than the ocean, water from the lake poured heavily into the ocean for the first few years. The water level in the Baltic dropped by 25 meters in the first few years, the size of a skyscraper. When the lake's water level reached that of the ocean, salty water from the Atlantic began to flow into the Baltic Ice Lake. The ocean poured not only salt water into the Baltic Ice Lake, but also introduced a type of clam called Yoldia arctica, in honor of which this stage of the Baltic Sea's development was named the Yoldia Sea.

45 minutes

Ancylus Lake

The Scandinavian ice sheet, while melting, released the earth's crust from under its weight, which while rising, closed the strait connecting the Yoldia Sea with the ocean. The sea was again cut off from the inflow of salty water. Fresh river water was constantly flowing into it, so the Baltic Sea became a fresh lake again. The receding ice sheet freed the earth's crust from its weight. As a result, the bottom of the lake slowly rose and the pushed up water began to look for ways to flow to the ocean. At this time the snail Ancylus fluviatilis, from which this stage of development takes its name, spread on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Until the water level was equalized with the ocean, the Baltic Sea was once again a lake - Lake Ancylus.

45 minutes

Littorina Sea

Due to rising ocean waters, the Baltic Sea eventually joined the North Sea through the Denmark Straits. Salt water poured into Ancylus Lake and as the ocean level rose, the flow became more intense. When the water became more salty (much saltier than it is today), enough to support the sea slug Littorina litorea, the reservoir moved into another phase of development called the Littorina Sea. It lasted until the next moment when, due to the rising of the Earth's crust in the region of the Denmark Straits, the exchange of water with the North Sea decreased again.

45 minutes

Modern Baltic Sea (Mya Sea)

When the water flow between the seas decreased, the salinity of the Baltic Sea also decreased. In such conditions the mussel Mya arenaria, which arrived here from the North America attached to the Viking boats, was able to cope perfectly. It is from this clam that the last phase of the Baltic Sea development takes its name. The further away from the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the lower the salinity of the Baltic Sea. The average value of salinity is 7 ‰. Thus, the Baltic became the sweetest sea in the world.

Modern Baltic Sea (Mya Sea)

Resources of the Baltic Sea

45 minutes

Mineral resources

The bottom of the Baltic Sea was not always covered by ice or water. The organic matter that was found there long ago gave rise to the present-day resources. The history of the Baltic riches goes back 40 million years, when there was a pine forest...full of trees that gave off resin, later called amber.

45 minutes

Amber

Due to violent weather events, trees were knocked down and later flooded by water. The resin, along with pieces of trees, flowed through rivers into what was then known as the Eocene sea. The biggest river that the resin probably went through was the Eridan River. Its outlet was located north of the Gulf of Gdansk. In later years, the amber deposits were covered by layers of sediments and, due to climate change, they were hidden under the cover of the ice sheet. Today, if we are lucky, we can find amber on the beach. Some call it the gold of the Baltic Sea.

45 minutes

Natural gas and petroleum

Although the Nord Stream pipeline is very well known, it is not used to extract gas from the deposits at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. It is only used for transportation purposes; to send gas through pipelines from Russia to Germany.

Petroleum and gas deposits in the Baltic Sea are found at depths of 2 to 6 km. The most promising deposits are believed to be located north of Rozewie, where an oil rig has been built. Oil production here is small, up to 1,000 tonnes per day, which satisfies only 2% of Poland's requirements. Petroleum is usually accompanied by gas deposits. In Poland, they have been discovered in four places. Their exploitation has not started yet.

Natural gas and petroleum

45 minutes

Aggregate and heavy minerals

Aggregate and heavy minerals

In addition to gas and petroleum, aggregates such as gravel, boulders, pebbles, clay, sands, and silt are mined. They are used mainly in the construction industry. In the Baltic Sea we can also find heavy minerals - ilmenite, rutile, zircon, garnet and magnetite.

45 minutes

Renewable resources - wind

It is worth mentioning that the Baltic Sea is a good place for wind farms. Kiegers Flak is a wind farm under construction that will generate energy equivalent to the consumption of about 600,000 Danish households, or 23 percent of all households in Denmark. This is not the first and not the last wind farm to be built in the Baltic Sea area. Harnessing wind power is an excellent way to extract energy without overexploiting non-renewable resources.

45 minutes

Energy from the waves

Energy from the waves

There are already power plants that produce energy from sea waves. They use waves of height from one to three meters, and the Baltic Sea has such waves. It is a very good idea for energy production, but it is still underdeveloped in the Baltic area.

Energy from sea waves is only 0.02% of all renewable energy used in the European Union. Such power plants can be found only in France and England. However, Polish scientists from the Maritime University of Szczecin are developing the technology that will make this type of energy more accessible.

45 minutes

Fish as a resource and export product

However, the most important renewable resource of the Baltic Sea are fish. They are our country's main export product. They can be a renewable resource as long as we fish them wisely. You will learn more about fish in the next lesson.

Fish as a resource and export product

Travels

45 minutes

Transportation

The history of transport in the Baltic area dates back to the 7th century, when the Vikings set out on expeditions (not only on the mercantile ones). Today shipping is the main form of transport on the sea. Bulk carriers, tankers, container ships, chemical tankers and general cargo ships are used to transport goods.

.

45 minutes

Transportation

Ferries are used to transport people and cars. They are often used by families with children, who are traveling for tourism and are provided with a great deal of entertainment on the ferry.

45 minutes

Transportation

There are submarines in the Baltic sea.
The chances of seeing one, however, are slim.

45 minutes

Entertainment

Let's remember that travelling on the Baltic Sea is not just a form of transport. Sometimes it is the reason in itself. That is why water sports, such as sailing, are particularly popular. Many trips lead to the picturesque island of Bornholm. Just getting there is an adventure in itself. In order to sail independently, you must obtain a license.

45 minutes

Entertainment

Water sports fans who prefer the proximity of the coast can enjoy a number of options. Windsurfing is a popular sport, although kitesurfing is becoming even more popular. While relaxing on the beach, you will also spot motorboats, jet skis, as well as small boats and ships in the distance.
It is also possible to dive in the Baltic Sea, although the transparency of the water is not as great as, for example, in the Mediterranean Sea.

45 minutes

Entertainment

Ice swimming is the most popular winter sport in the Baltic Sea area.
It requires, however, some determination and endurance... to cold.

Holiday

45 minutes

Blue flag

Before going to the seaside for a holiday, it is worth checking which beaches have received the so-called Blue Flag, a distinction awarded to the cleanest beaches and marinas. In 2020 the "Blue Flag" received 4664 beaches from 46 countries. Of these, 32 are Polish beaches. Their list can be found on www.blekitnaflaga.org.

You already know the Baltic Sea, now meet its inhabitants

45 minutes

Life originated in water

According to some scientists, there are indications that life on Earth originated within the hot underwater geysers appearing at the bottom of seas and oceans. These geysers, bursting with gases rich in various molecules, may have been the first building blocks of life. Their development was supported by the high temperature of hot "chimneys". Could this theory have something to do with our Baltic Sea? No one knows, but it is certain that the climate and landscape of the Baltic Sea have been changing for millions of years and, as a result, resources have been formed at its bottom, which we still use today. Before we get to know them, let's introduce ourselves to the history of said sea.

Stages in the formation of the Baltic Sea

45 minutes

History of creation

An ice age began over 900,000 years ago. The average temperature dropped by an average of 5,5^oC, but there were periods when the annual temperature dropped by up to 10^oC. At that time, the area of ⅓ of the northern hemisphere was in the Arctic climate. In the northern hemisphere, ice sheets, or vast areas of land covered by thick ice, were forming on land in Europe, North America, and Asia. 100,000 years ago, an ice sheet called the Scandinavian ice sheet formed. It began to melt due to climate warming 12 thousand years ago, giving rise to the Baltic Sea.

History of creation

45 minutes

Baltic Ice Lake

Each successive advance of the continental glacier caused the dip of the bedrock beneath it. This decrease in the earth's surface was gradually filled with water as the Scandinavian ice sheet melted and retreated from northern Poland. As a result, two lakes were formed. As the melting process continued, the waters in the two bodies of water merged to form the Baltic Ice Lake. At that time, the Baltic Sea was completely sweet and frozen for most of the year, with icebergs floating on it. This lasted for about three thousand years, during which the body of the Baltic Ice Lake continued to grow. The Baltic Sea then extended from the shores of Lithuania to the western shores of Denmark.

Baltic Ice Lake

45 minutes

Yoldia Sea

As the ice sheet continued to melt and retreat, water from the Baltic Ice Lake poured over the small strip of land separating the lake from the ocean. Because the lake was higher than the ocean, water from the lake poured heavily into the ocean for the first few years. The water level in the Baltic dropped by 25 meters in the first few years, the size of a skyscraper. When the lake's water level reached that of the ocean, salty water from the Atlantic began to flow into the Baltic Ice Lake. The ocean poured not only salt water into the Baltic Ice Lake, but also introduced a type of clam called Yoldia arctica, in honor of which this stage of the Baltic Sea's development was named the Yoldia Sea.

45 minutes

Ancylus Lake

The Scandinavian ice sheet, while melting, released the earth's crust from under its weight, which while rising, closed the strait connecting the Yoldia Sea with the ocean. The sea was again cut off from the inflow of salty water. Fresh river water was constantly flowing into it, so the Baltic Sea became a fresh lake again. The receding ice sheet freed the earth's crust from its weight. As a result, the bottom of the lake slowly rose and the pushed up water began to look for ways to flow to the ocean. At this time the snail Ancylus fluviatilis, from which this stage of development takes its name, spread on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Until the water level was equalized with the ocean, the Baltic Sea was once again a lake - Lake Ancylus.

45 minutes

Littorina Sea

Due to rising ocean waters, the Baltic Sea eventually joined the North Sea through the Denmark Straits. Salt water poured into Ancylus Lake and as the ocean level rose, the flow became more intense. When the water became more salty (much saltier than it is today), enough to support the sea slug Littorina litorea, the reservoir moved into another phase of development called the Littorina Sea. It lasted until the next moment when, due to the rising of the Earth's crust in the region of the Denmark Straits, the exchange of water with the North Sea decreased again.

45 minutes

Modern Baltic Sea (Mya Sea)

When the water flow between the seas decreased, the salinity of the Baltic Sea also decreased. In such conditions the mussel Mya arenaria, which arrived here from the North America attached to the Viking boats, was able to cope perfectly. It is from this clam that the last phase of the Baltic Sea development takes its name. The further away from the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the lower the salinity of the Baltic Sea. The average value of salinity is 7 ‰. Thus, the Baltic became the sweetest sea in the world.

Modern Baltic Sea (Mya Sea)

Resources of the Baltic Sea

45 minutes

Mineral resources

The bottom of the Baltic Sea was not always covered by ice or water. The organic matter that was found there long ago gave rise to the present-day resources. The history of the Baltic riches goes back 40 million years, when there was a pine forest...full of trees that gave off resin, later called amber.

45 minutes

Amber

Due to violent weather events, trees were knocked down and later flooded by water. The resin, along with pieces of trees, flowed through rivers into what was then known as the Eocene sea. The biggest river that the resin probably went through was the Eridan River. Its outlet was located north of the Gulf of Gdansk. In later years, the amber deposits were covered by layers of sediments and, due to climate change, they were hidden under the cover of the ice sheet. Today, if we are lucky, we can find amber on the beach. Some call it the gold of the Baltic Sea.

45 minutes

Natural gas and petroleum

Although the Nord Stream pipeline is very well known, it is not used to extract gas from the deposits at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. It is only used for transportation purposes; to send gas through pipelines from Russia to Germany.

Petroleum and gas deposits in the Baltic Sea are found at depths of 2 to 6 km. The most promising deposits are believed to be located north of Rozewie, where an oil rig has been built. Oil production here is small, up to 1,000 tonnes per day, which satisfies only 2% of Poland's requirements. Petroleum is usually accompanied by gas deposits. In Poland, they have been discovered in four places. Their exploitation has not started yet.

Natural gas and petroleum

45 minutes

Aggregate and heavy minerals

Aggregate and heavy minerals

In addition to gas and petroleum, aggregates such as gravel, boulders, pebbles, clay, sands, and silt are mined. They are used mainly in the construction industry. In the Baltic Sea we can also find heavy minerals - ilmenite, rutile, zircon, garnet and magnetite.

45 minutes

Renewable resources - wind

It is worth mentioning that the Baltic Sea is a good place for wind farms. Kiegers Flak is a wind farm under construction that will generate energy equivalent to the consumption of about 600,000 Danish households, or 23 percent of all households in Denmark. This is not the first and not the last wind farm to be built in the Baltic Sea area. Harnessing wind power is an excellent way to extract energy without overexploiting non-renewable resources.

45 minutes

Energy from the waves

Energy from the waves

There are already power plants that produce energy from sea waves. They use waves of height from one to three meters, and the Baltic Sea has such waves. It is a very good idea for energy production, but it is still underdeveloped in the Baltic area.

Energy from sea waves is only 0.02% of all renewable energy used in the European Union. Such power plants can be found only in France and England. However, Polish scientists from the Maritime University of Szczecin are developing the technology that will make this type of energy more accessible.

45 minutes

Fish as a resource and export product

However, the most important renewable resource of the Baltic Sea are fish. They are our country's main export product. They can be a renewable resource as long as we fish them wisely. You will learn more about fish in the next lesson.

Fish as a resource and export product

Travels

45 minutes

Transportation

The history of transport in the Baltic area dates back to the 7th century, when the Vikings set out on expeditions (not only on the mercantile ones). Today shipping is the main form of transport on the sea. Bulk carriers, tankers, container ships, chemical tankers and general cargo ships are used to transport goods.

.

45 minutes

Transportation

Ferries are used to transport people and cars. They are often used by families with children, who are traveling for tourism and are provided with a great deal of entertainment on the ferry.

45 minutes

Transportation

There are submarines in the Baltic sea.
The chances of seeing one, however, are slim.

45 minutes

Entertainment

Let's remember that travelling on the Baltic Sea is not just a form of transport. Sometimes it is the reason in itself. That is why water sports, such as sailing, are particularly popular. Many trips lead to the picturesque island of Bornholm. Just getting there is an adventure in itself. In order to sail independently, you must obtain a license.

45 minutes

Entertainment

Water sports fans who prefer the proximity of the coast can enjoy a number of options. Windsurfing is a popular sport, although kitesurfing is becoming even more popular. While relaxing on the beach, you will also spot motorboats, jet skis, as well as small boats and ships in the distance.
It is also possible to dive in the Baltic Sea, although the transparency of the water is not as great as, for example, in the Mediterranean Sea.

45 minutes

Entertainment

Ice swimming is the most popular winter sport in the Baltic Sea area.
It requires, however, some determination and endurance... to cold.

Holiday

45 minutes

Blue flag

Before going to the seaside for a holiday, it is worth checking which beaches have received the so-called Blue Flag, a distinction awarded to the cleanest beaches and marinas. In 2020 the "Blue Flag" received 4664 beaches from 46 countries. Of these, 32 are Polish beaches. Their list can be found on www.blekitnaflaga.org.

You already know the Baltic Sea, now meet its inhabitants

Lesson 2

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