Into the Deep: Exploring Earth's Oceans - Hardcover

Peter Batson; Karsten Schneider

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 184724050X ISBN 13: 9781847240507

Publisher: Quercus Publishing, 2008

Synopsis

How inappropriate it was to name our planet Earth, when quite clearly we should have called it Ocean. 1.36 billion cubic kilometres of water (326 million cubic miles) weighing over a million trillion tons covers more than 70 percent of our planet's surface. Strip Earth of its topography, and an uninterrupted ocean would submerge the planet under 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) of water. Earth's five oceans are one of the wonders of the solar system: they cover the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, our planet's most extensive mountain range; host the Great Barrier Reef - the largest structure built by living organisms; and provide the habitat for Earth's most extreme lifeforms - the denizens of the deep, nightmarish apparitions bristling with fangs and fluorescence. Yet despite its proximity and riches, in many ways we know more about the surface of Mars than we know about the deep ocean. From warm equatorial seas to ice-bound polar oceans, "Into the Deep" charts our exploration of Earth's final frontier and its inhabitants as it descends from bright coral reefs to the eternal, cold darkness of the abyss. It is a voyage that will astonish the reader - just as the latest deep sea discoveries regularly confound scientists - as they meet the Giant Squid's bigger brother, the Colossal Squid, and encounter the utterly alien environment that surrounds 'black smokers' - hydrothermal rifts in the Earth's crust.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Batson is a marine biologist and submariner. He also runs exploretheabyss.com, an on-line library showcasing some of the world's rarest and most spectacular deep sea imagery. He is the author of Deep New Zealand, an award-winning look at deep ocean life off the coast of his home islands.Dr Karsten Schneider studied dolphins in the remote fjords of New Zealand for three years for his doctorate in Marine Science. From academia he moved into the television industry, working as a director and producing nature documentaries. Into the Deep is Karsten's first book; he wrote the coastal seas, coral reef and polar sections.

From the Back Cover

A unique voyage through Earth's oceans, descending from bright coral reefs to the eternal darkness of the ocean floor.

From the Inside Flap

Welcome to planet Ocean. With over one billion cubic kilometres of water covering more than 70 percent of the planet's surface, "Earth" really is the wrong name for our blue planet.
From warm equatorial waters to ice-bound polar seas, our planet's oceans are one of the wonders of the solar system. They host the Great Barrier Reef - the largest structure built by living organisms - and provide the habitat for nature's most extreme lifeforms - the denizens of the deep, nightmarish apparitions bristling with fangs and fluorescence. Yet despite its proximity and its riches, in many ways we know more about the surface of Mars than we know about the deep ocean.
Descending from bright coral reefs to the eternal darkness of Challenger Deep 10,923 metres beneath the waves, Into the Deep charts the exploration of our planet's final frontier and introduces its inhabitants. It is a voyage that will astonish you - just as the latest deep sea discoveries regularly confound the scientists. Prepare to meet the giant squid's even bigger brother - the colossal squid - and to explore the planet's most extreme ecosystems - the seething, almost alien metropolises that thrive in the superheated waters of deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

Edition details

• Publisher: Quercus Publishing
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 184724050X
• ISBN 13: 9781847240507
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224