I went into this book curious about our oceans, but not seeing them and a book talking about them as a particularly important topic.

There seems to be no overall theme so the reader will probably come away remembering only some of the information. The author includes huge amounts of information from the way the ocean moves, to the different depths and strata, she mentions how people have learnt to navigate and how humans have impacted it. Helen has a unique gift being able to explain complex subjects in a few, carefully selected words for those of us with less well connected synapses.

She has been a science columnist for the Wall Street Journal since 2017 and she is the author of the bestselling Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life, Bubbles: A Ladybird Expert Book, and Blue Machine: how the ocean shapes our world. From the ancient Polynesians who navigated the Pacific by reading the waves, to permanent residents of the deep such as the Greenland shark that can live for hundreds of years, she introduces the messengers, passengers, and voyagers that rely on interlinked systems of vast currents, invisible ocean walls, and underwater waterfalls. Drawing on years of experience at the forefront of marine science, Helen Czerski captures the magnitude and subtlety of Earth’s defining feature, showing us the thrilling extent to which we are at the mercy of this great engine.

The final part, Part 3 is " The Blue Machine and Us" This is the 1 section and it is about what we can do or should be doing. Deftly harnessing the trade winds of history and geography, guiding us through eddies and currents of anecdote, [Czerski] leaves us with an understanding of the complexity of the oceans. Czerski brings the oceans alive with compelling stories that masterfully navigate this most complex system. I don’t remember when I have read a book that has been such a delight to read from start to finish, but that also, when I have come to the end, had totally altered my appreciation of the workings of our whole planet. For more details, please consult the latest information provided by Royal Mail's International Incident Bulletin.

Helen regularly presents BBC programmes on physics, the ocean and the atmosphere – recent series include Colour: The Spectrum of Science, Orbit, Operation Iceberg, Super Senses, Dara O’Briain’s Science Club, as well as programmes on bubbles, the sun and our weather. Some of the stories that she uses to illustrate the text are superb, like the ones dealing with underwater acoustic communicaton and how this relates to whales.

This is a delightful account of one of the deepest and most fascinating explorations going on today at the frontier of our knowledge. Reading this book has made me realise just how much the oceans do to keep our planet at the right temperature for life to exist and function. Zudem begeisterten mich die vielen spannenden Details über das Leben im Ozean, zum Beispiel die Tatsache, dass Pinguine für zwei Wochen 400 km von ihrem Nistplatz zum Fressplatz schwimmen, während der Partner/Partnerin (hungernd) beim Brüten ausharrt, bis er/sie an der Reihe ist.Ms Czerski is obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about her subject, particularly trying to get people to stop and think about the ocean and how vital it is to our continued wellbeing. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Obviously, this book highlights the impact that humans have had on the oceans and how they are deteriorating. Helen Czerski is a physicist and oceanographer at University College London’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. the author has a lovely writing style, with many analogies to help explain some of the sometimes complex ideas being discussed.

A scientist’s exploration of the "ocean engine"—the physics behind the ocean’s systems—and why it matters. By understanding how the ocean works, and its essential role in our global system, we can learn how to protect our blue machine. Timely, elegant, and passionately argued, The Blue Machine presents a fresh perspective on what it means to be a citizen of an ocean planet.THE TIMES SCIENCE BOOK OF THE YEAR: 'This beautifully written, sweeping guide shows how the deep movement of the seas have ruled our lives in unexpected ways over millennia.