The Brilliant Abyss Audiobook By Helen Scales cover art

The Brilliant Abyss

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

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The Brilliant Abyss

By: Helen Scales
Narrated by: Helen Scales
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About this listen

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.

©2021 Helen Scales (P)2021 Tantor
Animals Biological Sciences Biology Ecosystems & Habitats Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science
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Featured Article: Dive Deep on Our Blue Planet This World Ocean Day


Earth’s oceans and the many ecosystems housed within them are foundational to all life, on sea and land alike. And yet, international waterways face greater threats than ever, imperiled by factors including climate change, pollution and plastic debris, offshore drilling, and destructive fishing practices. We’ve curated a collection of listens to inspire you to learn more and take action to recognize, restore, and protect the sea and all its inhabitants.

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I love how wondrous it all sounds and how easy it was to digest the science.

Written by the author and you can hear her love for this so well, you love it too. Aside from the pure magic that is the ocean.

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Very informative on a lesser known but fascinating topic. Can hear the authors passion in the reading!

Excellent

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Climate agenda hokum aside, 95% of this book was amazing facts about the deep ocean.

Amazing facts about the deep

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The first two thirds or so are a brilliant tour of deep sea life. Scales is a vivid writer with a deep command of her subject. Her enthusiasm is contagious. This is good science writing.

The last third or so is skippable sanctimony and political activism, based mostly on hypotheticals rather than science. Scales has a gift for explaing the *is* of ocean life, but she seems to prefer focusing on the *ought*, or at least her highly ideological version of it.

Skip the last third

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Very interesting information about a topic I knew next to nothing about. Author had a pleasing voice, and details covered were expansive but accessible. Googled ALOT of different organisms XD Some insanely alien things live down there!!

Interesting Book About the Beautiful and Bizarre Deep Sea

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This book certainly brought to light for me so many unknown aspects, direct and indirect, of the deep seas.

Illuminating the dark and mostly unknown

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I learned so much while listening. my son got tired of hearing me tell him facts.

Fascinating Book

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I found the information fascinating and enjoyed the author's/narrator's passion for the subject. Some of the stuff seemed a little personal at times, but overall, I enjoyed the audio.

Interesting information

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