The Blue Wonder: Why the Sea Glows, Fish Sing, and Other Astonishing Insights from the Ocean

by Frauke Bagusche, Jamie McIntosh (Translator)

Overview

An intimate account of the beauty, mystery, and amazing science of the ocean.

In The Blue Wonder, marine biologist and diver Frauke Bagusche brings readers on a fascinating and beautiful deep-sea dive into the ocean. Drawing on scientific discoveries and her own research, she uses photographs and playful prose to reveal:

• deep-sea reefs that glitter like glass
• fish that converse with each other by singing––loudly
• an octopus that imitates more than fifteen other animals
• the secret behind why the sea glows at night
• “weddings” that happen amongst the coral
• underwater “drugstores”
• and even fish that clean her own teeth! 

Humans know more about the moon’s surface than we do about the ocean. There is so much to be discovered, under the sea. With the heart of a poet and the mind of a scientist, Frauke Bagusche re-awakens our love for the sea and ignites a desire to protect this vital habitat.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771646055
Publisher:	Greystone Books
Publication date:	06/08/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	31 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

DR. FRAUKE BAGUSCHE is a marine biologist, who, with a colleague, founded TheBlueMind.org in 2018. Bagusche also works as a freelance lecturer and provides training on the subjects of plastic pollution in the oceans, the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, and the overfishing of the oceans.

Table of Contents

Foreword Jill Heinerth xi

Preface xiii

The Secret Global Domination of Plankton 1

Green Lungs 5

The Smell of the Sea 9

Little Snacks for Big Stomachs 11

Size Isn't Everything 13

Glibbery Giants 15

The Glow of the Sea 22

Coral Reefs-The Nurseries of the Sea 25

Mass Weddings of the Corals 33

The Songs of Fish 38

Nemo's Brothers 44

Underwater Hospitals 48

Deep-Sea Drugstores 55

Symbiosis, Parasitism, and Other Interactions 60

Coral Reefs as Battle Zones 65

Luminous Corals 76

Perfectly Hidden 79

(In)Finite Blue 85

Water-A Substance With Special Characteristics 86

Why the Baltic Sea Tastes Less Salty Than the Mediterranean 88

The Ocean as Climate Kitchen and the Marine Conveyor Belt 91

The Journey of Sea Turtles 95

Intelligent Singers 101

Hunted Hunters 112

Amazing Appendages-Swords, Spears, and Wings 122

The Secrets of the Deep 126

Life at the Extremes 127

Gold Rush in Deep Waters 135

Sea Monsters, Deep-Sea Demons, and Sailor's Yarns 140

Glitter in the Dark 146

Fragile Carnivores and Reefs of Glass 153

Sex and the Sea 158

The Black Soul of the Sea Otter 158

Sodom and Gomorrah at the South Pole 161

Sometimes Size Does Matter 163

Of Swords and Free-Swimming Tentacles 168

Sacrificial Fathers 171

Migratory Slitherers 176

Endangered Blue Wonder 180

The Curse of Black Gold 181

The Age of Plastic 184

Are Bioplastics the Solution? 189

Polluted Paradises 191

Plastic Patches 196

Micro plastics-The (Almost) Invisible Danger 197

Climate Change and the Sea 201

The Death of Coral Reefs 208

Hungry for More 215

More Culture for Aquaculture 221

The Future of the Sea = Our Future 226

Acknowledgments 233

Sources and Further Information 236

Photo Insert Credits 244

Index 245

Editorial Reviews

Readers who want an upbeat, yet thoughtful overview of all things marine wildlife will appreciate this fun, quick dive into the ocean.”
—Library Journal

“The Blue Wonder takes its place alongside Carl Safina’s Song for the Blue Ocean in revealing the marvelous marine world and the urgent need to preserve a dazzling ecosystem we too often neglect.”
—Book Page

“If you like your books to be brimming with interesting science, then dive in!”
—Tristan Gooley, New York Times bestselling author of How to Read Water

“This book is true to its title: it really provides an excellent introduction to the wonders of the sea, and makes you want to dive in and see for yourself.”
—Dr. Daniel Pauly, fisheries scientist and author of Vanishing Fish: Shifting Baselines and the Future of Global Fisheries

From the Publisher

06/01/2021

Marine biologist Bagusche says she wants to make the ocean "accessible to a worldwide audience." While this book, translated from German, frequently refers to research or experts, the author's casual, friendly writing style makes it approachable to readers with the barest knowledge of marine life and oceans. Bagusche keeps the story moving with brief bursts of information and humorous insights. The chapter "Sex and the Sea" is particularly funny, although animals such as sea otters and penguins sometimes appear less than endearing. Conservation is mentioned throughout the book, and its final chapter focuses on the dangers threatening the oceans, such as drilling, overfishing, and inundations of plastics and other waste. The narrative continues with moving chapters on the history and future of coral reefs, complete with stories of the creatures that survive and thrive in and around them. Bagusche makes the case that humanity's future is linked with the ocean's wellbeing, so she offers practical guidance for ocean-conscious consumption. There's also an extensive list of resources for those wishing to learn more. VERDICT Readers who want an upbeat, yet thoughtful overview of all things marine wildlife will appreciate this fun, quick dive into the ocean.—Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Lib., Lombard, IL

Library Journal