Before the invention of satellites and floating sensor buoys, scientists had only two tools to comprehend the true movement of ocean water: patience and a willingness to let the sea do the work. Although fishermen were already aware that currents moved objects in somewhat predictable patterns, no one had sufficient evidence to precisely map those movements. Using nothing more complex than glass bottles and a small monetary prize, a British marine biologist concluded at the beginning of the twentieth century that the easiest way to answer the question was to give the task to the fishing fleets themselves.
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