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Title details for The Brilliant Abyss by Helen Scales - Available

The Brilliant Abyss

Exploring the Majestic Hidden Life of the Deep Ocean, and the Looming Threat That Imperils It

by Helen Scales
Helen Scales
Audiobook
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A golden era of deep-sea discovery is underway as revolutionary studies rewrite the very notion of life on Earth and the rules of what is possible. In the process, the abyss is being revealed as perhaps the most amazing part of our planet, its topography even more varied and extreme than its landmass counterpart.

Teeming with unsuspected life, an extraordinary, interconnected ecosystem deep below the waves has a huge effect on our daily lives, influencing climate and weather systems, with the potential for much more—good or bad, depending on how it is exploited. Currently, the fantastic creatures that live in the deep—many of them incandescent in a world without light—and its formations capture and trap vast quantities of carbon that would otherwise poison our atmosphere, and novel bacteria as yet undiscovered hold the promise of potent new medicines. Yet the deep also holds huge mineral riches lusted after by nations and corporations; mining them could ultimately devastate the planet, compounded by the deepening impacts of ubiquitous pollutants and rampant overfishing.

Eloquently and passionately, the author of Spirals in Time and Eye of the Shoal brings to life the majesty and mystery of an alien realm that nonetheless sustains us, while urgently making clear the price we could pay if it is further disrupted.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    July 13, 2021

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781666139570
      • File size: 247031 KB
      • Duration: 08:34:38

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Author/narrator Helen Scales describes the ship PELICAN when she was part of its research crew, establishing her personal connection to the deep seas. The marine biologist brings a British accent and a sense of wonder to her observations of a creature called "a headless chicken monster" and many other life-forms that even scientists are still learning about. She adds drama to a description of a vampire squid and piques listeners' curiosity about the purpose of throwing logs into the ocean. Scales keeps that excitement alive when quoting a researcher who compares the discovery of an undersea mountain to finding Atlantis. She shares her passion and concern when talking about deep-sea mining and climate change, which pose risks to the undersea frontier. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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