Marie Maps The Sea
Ask Magazine for Kids|October 2019
Young Marie Tharp thought her dad had the best job ever. He traveled around the country, making maps. His maps were special—they revealed hidden things. They showed where different kinds of soil were, and wet and dry places. That helped farmers know what to plant.
Marie Maps The Sea
He taught Marie to draw maps too. They moved around a lot. Marie changed schools often. But she loved to see the country, and draw, and play her violin.

In college, Marie tried lots of different subjects. Her father always told her, “When you find your life’s work, make sure it is something you can do, and most important, something you like to do.” She took classes in art, and music, and math, and teaching, and geology. She couldn’t quite make up her mind.

Then one day, her geology teacher pointed to a big map of the earth. Almost three-fourths of it was plain blue ocean. What was under all that water? Was it flat, like a beach? Or were there mountains and valleys, as on land? No one knew. That got Marie’s attention. All that blue blank space—waiting to be mapped.

Exploring with Numbers

Marie became a geologist. She got a job with a group studying the oceans. But Marie wasn’t allowed to go to sea. The Navy did not let women on ships. Marie’s job was to stay in the office and do math and draw. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t explore.

Part of Marie’s job was to keep track of all the data that the ships sent back. One number she often wrote down was the depth of the water. Ships measured this with sonar—sending out a sound ping and timing the echo. Often they made many measurements each day. In the old days, sailors lowered a weight on a string until it hit bottom, then measured the string.

This story is from the October 2019 edition of Ask Magazine for Kids.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 2019 edition of Ask Magazine for Kids.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ASK MAGAZINE FOR KIDSView All
When a Whale Falls
Ask Magazine for Kids

When a Whale Falls

When an enormous whale dies, its body sinks to the bottom of the ocean. There it provides food for thousands of deep-sea creatures.

time-read
1 min  |
October 2019
The Deepest Dive
Ask Magazine for Kids

The Deepest Dive

In 1872, two scientists set out to study the ocean.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2019
Marie Maps The Sea
Ask Magazine for Kids

Marie Maps The Sea

Young Marie Tharp thought her dad had the best job ever. He traveled around the country, making maps. His maps were special—they revealed hidden things. They showed where different kinds of soil were, and wet and dry places. That helped farmers know what to plant.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2019
Internet Ocean
Ask Magazine for Kids

Internet Ocean

Say you’re curious about giraffes.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2019
Bigger Than The Rules
Ask Magazine for Kids

Bigger Than The Rules

How one tall kid changed the way we play basketball.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2017
Eat This Spoon
Ask Magazine for Kids

Eat This Spoon

Imagine you’re at a picnic, enjoying some spicy noodles and fruit salad. For dessert, you have a slice of cake. Then you top off your meal by eating your fork.

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2017
In the Hot Shop
Ask Magazine for Kids

In the Hot Shop

The hot shop at Chicago’s Ignite Glass Studio sizzles with activity.

time-read
3 mins  |
May/June 2017
The Glass Ocean
Ask Magazine for Kids

The Glass Ocean

Peering out from its case in the museum, the little brown octopus looks ready to uncurl its tentacles and glide away. But this octopus isn’t going anywhere. It’s made of glass.

time-read
3 mins  |
May/June 2017
Living Glass
Ask Magazine for Kids

Living Glass

What would you do if your skeleton were made of glass?  Maybe you’d be a sponge.

time-read
2 mins  |
May/June 2017
The Greedy Glass
Ask Magazine for Kids

The Greedy Glass

How many pennies can you add to a completely full glass of water?

time-read
1 min  |
May/June 2017