What do you think of when you think about our oceans? Maybe you see a picture of our planet with a big patch of blue? Maybe you think about storms or dramatic ocean voyages? Maybe fish or coral reefs?

In this edition of The Climate Question, Hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar explore how our oceans are even more important than you might imagine. They help put the brakes on climate change and regulate our weather - even in faraway deserts. They provide food, and even influence the rise of great civilisations, like Ancient Egypt.

Graihagh and Jordan are joined by oceanographer and physicist Helen Czerski, author of Blue Machine, How the Ocean Shapes Our World. Helen also chats about the challenges of trying to collect data at sea during huge storms.

Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar Production team: Simon Watts, Nik Sindle, Grace Braddock Sound engineer: Ben Andrews and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon Watts

Got a question or a comment? You can email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com

#1390 - Wilma Borgman over Mark Rutte en de VVD