Into the Great Wide Ocean: Life in the Least Known Habitat on Earth by Sönke Johnsen

Description

A seagoing scientist explores how life thrives in one of the most mysterious environments on Earth
The open ocean, far from the shore and miles above the seafloor, is a vast and formidable habitat that is home to the most abundant life on our planet, from giant squid and jellyfish to anglerfish with bioluminescent lures that draw prey into their toothy mouths. Into the Great Wide Ocean takes readers inside the peculiar world of the seagoing scientists who are providing tantalizing new show more insights into how the animals of the open ocean solve the problems of their existence.
Sönke Johnsen vividly describes how life in the water column of the open sea contends with a host of environmental challenges, such as gravity, movement, the absence of light, pressure that could crush a truck, catching food while not becoming food, finding a mate, raising young, and forming communities. He interweaves stories about the joys and hardships of the scientists who explore this beautiful and mysterious realm, which is under threat from human activity and rapidly changing before our eyes.
Into the Great Wide Ocean presents the sea and its inhabitants as you have never seen them before and reminds us that the rules of survival in the open ocean, though they may seem strange to us, are the primary rules of life on Earth.

. Nonfiction. Science. Nature. show less

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Wybie 92 reviews

Would recommend to those wanting to get into scuba diving as the author brings up dive stories here & there.
That and if you want to get into marine biology (open-ocean field work) as like a college major or career option. I think it gives a good look into the field. Do take that with a grain of salt though as I'm not a marine biologist myself
It is very thorough on the explanations, especially the nitty-gritty why/how does x work, exactly? type
The author's expertise being the pelagic zone (1,000ft below sea level) & postdoc being in the lenses and optics of sea creatures. Really shows in the light chapter
Errs more on the side of being a memoir at times

Jun 29, 2026

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