The Extreme Life of the Sea - Softcover

Palumbi, Stephen R.; Palumbi, Anthony R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0691169810 ISBN 13: 9780691169811

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2015

Synopsis

The ocean teems with life that thrives under difficult situations in unusual environments. The Extreme Life of the Sea takes readers to the absolute limits of the ocean world--the fastest and deepest, the hottest and oldest creatures of the oceans. It dives into the icy Arctic and boiling hydrothermal vents--and exposes the eternal darkness of the deepest undersea trenches--to show how marine life thrives against the odds. This thrilling book brings to life the sea's most extreme species, and tells their stories as characters in the drama of the oceans. Coauthored by Stephen Palumbi, one of today's leading marine scientists, The Extreme Life of the Sea tells the unforgettable tales of some of the most marvelous life forms on Earth, and the challenges they overcome to survive. Modern science and a fluid narrative style give every reader a deep look at the lives of these species. The Extreme Life of the Sea shows you the world's oldest living species. It describes how flying fish strain to escape their predators, how predatory deep-sea fish use red searchlights only they can see to find and attack food, and how, at the end of her life, a mother octopus dedicates herself to raising her batch of young. This wide-ranging and highly accessible book also shows how ocean adaptations can inspire innovative commercial products--such as fan blades modeled on the flippers of humpback whales--and how future extremes created by human changes to the oceans might push some of these amazing species over the edge.

About this title

Review

"The oceans are our most precious treasure, full of creatures and stories more fantastic than any science fiction. The Extreme Life of the Sea is a fascinating exploration of this vast mysterious universe. Wonderfully written, it will grab you from page one and carry you all the way through. A must-read for everyone."--Philippe Cousteau

"This book brims with fascinating tales of life in the sea, told with freshness, wit, and verve. Simply wonderful."--Callum Roberts, author of The Ocean of Life: The Fate of Man and the Sea

"The Extreme Life of the Sea will reignite your fascination with how much life lives beneath the waves. This is extreme-ly good reading."--Randy Olson, author of Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style

"What better way to learn about life in the ocean--and how we are changing it--than through stories of blind zombie worms, immortal jellyfish, and unicorns of the sea? The Extreme Life of the Sea is an insightful book that inspires awe and wonder about our ocean, and brilliantly shows us the immense possibilities of life on Earth."--Enric Sala, explorer-in-residence, National Geographic

"The Extreme Life of the Sea is filled with wonder and appreciation for what lives in that most mysterious realm on Earth. We travel to the furthest points of the conceptual compass--the biggest, smallest, oldest, fastest, and hottest. By crisscrossing these polarities, we sense how far life has come and see the extremes to which life has gone. Pure pleasure."--Carl Safina, author of The View from Lazy Point: A Natural Year in an Unnatural World

"The Extreme Life of the Sea reveals some of the amazing aspects of ocean life and why we should care. This accessible book will inspire a broad audience--and with any luck help to inspire change. The authors have done a superb job of communicating much of what is special about the ocean."--Paul V. R. Snelgrove, author of Discoveries of the Census of Marine Life: Making Ocean Life Count

"One of American Association for the Advancement of Science's Books for General Audiences and Young Adults 2014"

"This gem of a book by marine biologist Stephen Palumbi and his son, science writer Anthony Palumbi, finds enough weirdness in the ocean to feed creativity for generations to come. . . . The Palumbis' writing is a wonderful mix of meticulous science and creative panache. . . . A joy whether read at one sitting, or dipped in and out of to prolong the pleasure."---Callum Roberts, Nature

"Marine biologist Stephen R. Palumbi and writer Anthony R. Palumbi survey an impressive catch of extreme oceanic species, from the oldest to the deepest-dwelling. . . . A brilliant use of the rich store of research into Earth's largest habitat."--Nature

"From 'immortal' jellyfish that age in reverse, to zombie bone worms that eat the skeletons of dead whales, the ocean is full of bizarre characters. Biologist Stephen Palumbi and his science writer son, Anthony, profile the most unusual specimens. Chapters cover the smallest, the oldest, the hottest and the coldest species, among others, and the landscape of strange creatures is brought to life by charming writing."---Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American

About the Author

Stephen R. Palumbi is Professor of Biology and Director of the Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University. Anthony R. Palumbi, Stephen's son, is a science writer and novelist whose work has appeared in the Atlantic and other publications.

About this edition

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0691169810
• ISBN 13: 9780691169811
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256