The ocean plays a central role in the Earth’s climate and weather systems, covering 70-75% of the “blue planet”. The ocean is basically a modulator, since its upper temperature governs air-sea exchanges with the atmosphere, and concomitantly atmospheric pressure at sea level via high- and low-pressure cells. All these aspects control the fundamental elements of climate and weather systems, such as atmospheric and oceanic circulation, winds, monsoons, El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO), hurricanes, and much more. Clearly there are diverse spatial and temporal scales involved, and this is where past, present, and future are linked. Fossil records of these processes provide important perspective on how the present came to be, with key context for future projections via simulations and modeling.