Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Rogue waves - enormous, spontaneous surface waves in the open ocean - were once the tall tales of sailors. They are waves that reach 2-3x taller than the largest average waves in the area, reaching heights of 75 – 100ft. With the help of a ESA satellite survey, the scientific community now accepts they happen frequently. What causes rogue waves?

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Creator: Dianna Cowern
Writer: Sophia Chen
Editor: Jabril Ashe
Animator: Kyle Norby

Resources:
Drauper oil platform wave recreation: BBC
Oil Platform footage: James Eaton
Crashing Wave/Boat Animation: DAAC
Rogue Wave simulation: Lev Kaplan, Tulane University

More resources:
Stock visuals: Pixabay.com, shutterstock.com
Music: APM and YouTube