Blowfish's Oceanopedia: 291 Extraordinary Things You Didn't Know About the Sea

by Tom Hird

The seas of our planet cover more than 70 per cent of the Earth, yet we know less about the ocean depths than the surface of the moon. Join marine biologist and fish-fanatic Tom "The Blowfish" Hird as he lifts the lid on a treasure chest of fascinating facts, to reveal just what we do know about what lurks beneath the waves. You'll discover how the unassuming jellyfish can cause an ocean-wide apocalypse, why walruses turn bright pink after a sunbathe, how a shoal of herring breaks wind to escape the jaws of predators, and why an archer fish spits missiles at its prey. From the invisible world of meiofauna living in the sands of our beaches to a cephalopod called the 'Vampire Squid from Hell," Blowfish takes us on an incredible journey as he follows the currents from shoreline to the bone-crushing pressure of the deep sea.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Nature, Biology, Animals, Natural History, Research

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2017

Reviews

[Franzenstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generell finde ich die Idee des Buches - viele kurze Geschichten zum Meer und seinen Bewohnern - super. Ich war auch durchgängig gut unterhalten, Hird erklärt komplexe Zusammenhänge ziemlich gut, aber mir hat tatsächlich die Tiefe gefehlt. Ich fand alles so interessant, dass ich gern mehr erfahren hätte.

[Phoebe Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and am ashamed at how long it took to get around to reading it. The author's style and sense of humour made me laugh even when reading about topics I wouldn't normally be interested in. He has successfully managed the delicate balance between humour and seriousness by interspersing the weird and wonderful with truths about the current threats to the ocean and marine life in general. This book gave me not only a load of new fish facts but also a respect for the ocean and the huge importance it has with regards to the environment. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the environment or just wanting to read fish based innuendos.

[Maxine]

Moar picture plz.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, if the subtitle was a little misleading. I would say this is more of a beginners guide to how the oceans work, with a few "extraordinary" facts you don't already know scattered throughout. I think most of this is fairly basic knowledge for anyone who's watched a few undersea docs, but still an interesting read. If you're doing to dedicate a section to threats though, you've gotta devote one to conservation. Just one person's opinion.

[Tom Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intrigued by the title but the contents didn't live up to my expectations. It's more a recital of scientific study, with far too occasional flashes of humour, than a good read. A few diagrams - not just whimsical sketches - would not go amiss. More of a reference book than anything else.

[Harriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for work. Good solid info and would be good for anyone who are just casually interested in finding out more about our seas. Worked well as a quick reminder for my about all the things I learnt at uni and promptly forgot....

[Natasha Cowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of bite-sized facts about our oceans and the amazing lives within them.

It was a cool book, but there were too many non-animal related facts. A few were cool, but I really just want to learn about the weird and wonderful creatures we have living in our vast and mysterious oceans.

[Rory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Any marine enthusiasts must read this! So cool learning about the biology, ecology, and wonders of the ocean in a pick up put down read you can leave by your bedside locker.

[Janika Puolitaival · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea. Mysrerious, enchanting. Sometimes even funny.

[Max Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best gifts I've ever received. It is such a decadent and well written book that I cherish on my shelf, not only because I can revisit it given its nature as a non-fiction compilation of various facts about marine biology, but because the cover, spine and binding of it are absolutely beautiful. Also tres amusante. 5 stars :)