Episode notes
The provided text is an excerpt from a Wikipedia article focused entirely on the Weddell Sea, an area of the Southern Ocean. This comprehensive overview details the sea's geographical location, physical characteristics, and historical context. Key sections address the sea's etymology, the history of exploration (including the unfortunate fate of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance), and its geological formation as a back-arc basin. Furthermore, the article covers the oceanography and climate, highlighting the Weddell Gyre and the sea's role in global thermohaline circulation. Finally, the text describes the ecology of the region, noting abundant fauna like whales, seals, and a newly discovered, massive colony of icefish.