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Singing Whales and Flying Squid: The Discovery of Marine Life
Two-thirds of this planet is covered by water inhabited by an incredible variety of living organisms, ranging in size from microbe to whale, and in abundance from scarce to uncountable. Whales and dolphins must surface to breathe, and some fishes occupy surface waters and can easily be seen from boats or shore, but most of the marine bio-profusion is hidden from human eyes, often under thousands of feet and millions of tons of water, which is usually cold, dark, and utterly inhospitable to humans. By definition, the study of marine life has been quantitatively and qualitatively different from the study of terrestrial life--it is, if you will, a different kettle of fish. What do we know today, how have we learned it, and what remains unknown and unknowable about inner space?
Because there have been so few human visitors to the uninviting world of the deep sea, scientists have had to rely on trawled specimens, photographs taken by robotic cameras, or occasionally, observations from deep-diving submersibles, to get even the vaguest idea of the nature of life in the abyss. So far, even our most elaborate efforts to penetrate the blackness have produced only minimal results. It is as if someone lowered a collecting basket from a balloon high above the tropical rain forest floor, and tried to analyze the nature of life in the jungle from a couple of random hauls. The inner space of the deep offers the last frontier on the planet. Even now, we know more about the back side of the moon than we do about the bottom of the ocean, but then the surface of the moon is not hidden under miles of impenetrable water. But we do know that living in this inaccessible medium are some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.
An understanding of the interrelationships between various creatures-including the one predator that has the power to distort, damage, or even eliminate populations of marine animals-is necessary if we are to survive in harmony with these populations. Although new technologies have given us tools to better census the whales, dolphins, and fishes, and to see heretofore unexpected life and geological forms deep under the sea, we are a long way from comprehending the nature and importance of marine biodiversity. Singing Whales, Flying Squid, and Swimming Cucumbers is an attempt to put the search for knowledge into perspective-to try to find out how we got here, and where, with the help of curiosity, science, and technology, we might be headed. With this as our Baedeker, we will voyage through time and space, tracing the history of the discovery of marine biology, from the moment that the first scientists--although for the most part, "science" had barely been invented--tried to figure out what sorts of creatures lived in the Mediterranean, the sea right off their shores.
So join Richard Ellis on an underwater adventure like no other you've ever taken or heard of: a voyage to discover the mysteries and reveal the wonders of marine life--more unusual and more astonishing than you--or anyone else--ever imagined.
Because there have been so few human visitors to the uninviting world of the deep sea, scientists have had to rely on trawled specimens, photographs taken by robotic cameras, or occasionally, observations from deep-diving submersibles, to get even the vaguest idea of the nature of life in the abyss. So far, even our most elaborate efforts to penetrate the blackness have produced only minimal results. It is as if someone lowered a collecting basket from a balloon high above the tropical rain forest floor, and tried to analyze the nature of life in the jungle from a couple of random hauls. The inner space of the deep offers the last frontier on the planet. Even now, we know more about the back side of the moon than we do about the bottom of the ocean, but then the surface of the moon is not hidden under miles of impenetrable water. But we do know that living in this inaccessible medium are some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth.
An understanding of the interrelationships between various creatures-including the one predator that has the power to distort, damage, or even eliminate populations of marine animals-is necessary if we are to survive in harmony with these populations. Although new technologies have given us tools to better census the whales, dolphins, and fishes, and to see heretofore unexpected life and geological forms deep under the sea, we are a long way from comprehending the nature and importance of marine biodiversity. Singing Whales, Flying Squid, and Swimming Cucumbers is an attempt to put the search for knowledge into perspective-to try to find out how we got here, and where, with the help of curiosity, science, and technology, we might be headed. With this as our Baedeker, we will voyage through time and space, tracing the history of the discovery of marine biology, from the moment that the first scientists--although for the most part, "science" had barely been invented--tried to figure out what sorts of creatures lived in the Mediterranean, the sea right off their shores.
So join Richard Ellis on an underwater adventure like no other you've ever taken or heard of: a voyage to discover the mysteries and reveal the wonders of marine life--more unusual and more astonishing than you--or anyone else--ever imagined.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
About the author
Richard Ellis
29 books57 followersRichard Ellis is a celebrated authority on marine biology and America’s foremost marine life artist whose work has been exhibited worldwide. His nine books include The Search for the Giant Squid (a Publishers Weekly 1998 Best Book of the Year), Great White Shark, Encyclopedia of the Sea, Men and Whales, Monsters of the Sea, Deep Atlantic The Book of Whales, and Imagining Atlantis.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 4, 2020
“In a sense, we have overwhelmed the seas with our carelessness”
Although written from an evolutionary-theory worldview (which shapes the speculation on aspects of the history and discovery of marine life as well as the conclusions drawn from facts and data observed), this book does much to educate the reader on the effects of mankind’s ignorance and greed against the earth’s vast and varied marine biome. It helpfully explained the strong interdependence of all living things within the seas, and the impact of overfishing on the intertwined oceanic food webs.
This book also contained many historical accounts of great interest, pertaining to mankind’s encounters with the creatures of the seas. It was highly informative, interesting, and compelling. Although I respectfully disagree with the evolutionary worldview presumed in this book, I share in the conclusion that it is our role as humans to take responsibility to care for and steward the oceans in a respectful, wise and responsible manner, and share hope that new technologies will aid in the efforts to manage these precious resources. I have loved reading this book and learning about the undersea realm!
Although written from an evolutionary-theory worldview (which shapes the speculation on aspects of the history and discovery of marine life as well as the conclusions drawn from facts and data observed), this book does much to educate the reader on the effects of mankind’s ignorance and greed against the earth’s vast and varied marine biome. It helpfully explained the strong interdependence of all living things within the seas, and the impact of overfishing on the intertwined oceanic food webs.
This book also contained many historical accounts of great interest, pertaining to mankind’s encounters with the creatures of the seas. It was highly informative, interesting, and compelling. Although I respectfully disagree with the evolutionary worldview presumed in this book, I share in the conclusion that it is our role as humans to take responsibility to care for and steward the oceans in a respectful, wise and responsible manner, and share hope that new technologies will aid in the efforts to manage these precious resources. I have loved reading this book and learning about the undersea realm!
February 6, 2008
This is a great overview of how we came to know what we know about marine life. It's probably best to read it in chunks, rather than straight through, because at times the chapters repeat the same information, but it's good stuff.
April 9, 2017
Very informative, readable and it has good art.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews