Final answer:
Oceanographers learned to utilize technologies like sonar for mapping the ocean floor after World War II and benefited from increased international scientific cooperation. Ethical considerations of scientific advancements also came to the forefront in the post-war era.
Step-by-step explanation:
After World War II, oceanographers gained a wealth of new information and technology that had been driven by wartime research and needs. The development of sonar, initially used for submarine detection, provided a new tool for mapping the ocean floor and uncovering its secrets. Additionally, scientific collaboration was bolstered by initiatives such as the founding of UNESCO, with figures like Shapley advocating for international scientific cooperation and freedom of thought.
Marine ecologists, for instance, were able to expand their study to include a broader range of oceanic interactions, significantly aided by these technological advances. Questions about Earth's water origins, such as those posed in the article "Oceans from the Skies" by Jewitt and Young, became more accessible thanks to improvements in observational technologies.
The post-war period also saw a heightened awareness of the ethical implications of scientific advancements, particularly nuclear technologies. The new scientific landscape required a reevaluation of the association between state powers and the scientific community, and the role of scientists in society.