Dive into this uniquely elegant visual exploration of the sea

An informative and utterly beautiful introduction to marine life and the ocean environment, Oceanology brings the riches of the underwater world onto the printed page.

Astounding photography reveals an abundance of life, from microscopic plankton to great whales, seaweed to starfish. Published in association with the Smithsonian Institution, the book explores every corner of the oceans, from coral reefs and mangrove swamps to deep ocean trenches.

Along the way, and with the help of clear, simple illustrations, it explains how life has adapted to the marine environment, revealing for example how a stonefish delivers its lethal venom and how a sponge sustains itself by sifting food from passing currents. It also examines the physical forces and processes that shape the oceans, from global circulation systems and tides to undersea volcanoes and tsunamis.

To most of us, the marine world is out of reach. But with the help of photography and the latest technology, Oceanology brings us up close to animals, plants, and other living things that inhabit a fantastic and almost incomprehensibly beautiful other dimension.

contents marine world what are oceans? ocean history ocean climates ocean depths rocky coasts surviving in the splash zone anchoring to the seabed coastal erosion growing above the tides surviving low tide from coast to coast rasping rocks clinging on combing for plankton lodging in a shell waves fish on land fish shapes rock pool territory cold-blooded diving seas of color cliff nesting northern gannet hopping on rocks sandy beaches growing in wind-blown sand lifelike seas nesting on beaches beaches and dunes drama on the seas american crocodile beachcombing tsunamis estuaries and mudflats living in sediment tides seabed stinger concealed danger sensing electricity migrating to breed mud probing the dutch golden age sweeping for food fishing with feet mangroves and salt marshes growing in salt marshes colonizing roots growing on stilts living upside down living fossil salt water waving crabs hunting above water impressions of the sea adapting to changing salinity coral reefs simple bodies making rock synchronizing spawn horny skeleton living in a colony corals powered by sunlight stinging for prey coral reefs blooming with poison fanning the water giant clams collecting weaponry changing color art meets science cleaning hosts making a mask seabed feeding blue underwater inflatable bodies aboriginal sea stories mutual protection sex changer reef feeders bladed fish reef fish cryptic fish specialized fins seas of antiquity reef scrapers coastal seas absorbing light giant kelp underwater meadows producing light alternating generations asia’s sea deities living in a tube stinging bristles flapping to swim changing buoyancy hurricanes and typhoons jet propulsion nudibranchs heavy bodies suspension feeding the great wave walking with arms tube feet starfish spiny skin scalloped hammerhead shark flying underwater swim bladders keeping out of sight sea-level change all-over senses migrating in schools great frigatebird plunge diving sea otter grazing on grass humpback whale upwelling and downwelling atlantic spotted dolphin open oceans dividing labor phytoplankton staying afloat sustaining life in the dark new ocean floor deepwater giants branching arms jellyfish and hydrozoans filter-feeding sharks ocean currents great white shark slow giant mapping the seas lights in the dark built for speed wandering albatross bulk feeding destruction of the oceans orca polar oceans sea butterfly sea ice polar swarms antifreeze in fish zooplankton king penguin insulating layers southern elephant seal sensitive whiskers ice shelves and icebergs multipurpose fur narwhal classification