Helen Czerski

All of Earth's ocean, from the equator to the poles, is a single engine powered by sunlight - a blue machine.Human history has been dictated by the ocean; the location of cities, access to resources, and the gateway to new lands have all revolved around water. We live inside the weather the ocean generates and breathe in what it breathes out. Yet despite our dependence, our awareness of its totality is minimal.In a book that will re-calibrate our view of this defining feature of our planet, physicist Helen Czerski dives deep to illuminate the murky depths of the ocean engine, examining the messengers, passengers and voyagers that live in it, travel over it, and survive because of it. From the Ancient Polynesians who navigated the Pacific by reading the waves, to permanent residents of the deep like the Greenland shark that can live for hundreds of years, she explains by way of vast currents, invisible ocean walls and underwater waterfalls how all have their place in the oceans' complex interlinked system.Timely, elegant, and passionately argued, The Blue Machine is one of the biggest stories ever told. Its understanding crucial to our future. Drawing on years at the forefront of marine science, Helen Czerski captures the magnitude and subtlety of this complex force, showing us the thrilling extent to which we are at the mercy of this great engine.

Storm in a Teacup is Helen Czerski’s lively, entertaining, and informed introduction to the world of physics. Czerski provides the tools to alter the way we see everything around us by linking ordinary objects and occurrences, like popcorn popping, coffee stains, and fridge magnets, to big ideas like climate change, the energy crisis, or innovative medical testing. She provides answers to vexing questions: How do ducks keep their feet warm when walking on ice? Why does it take so long for ketchup to come out of a bottle? Why does milk, when added to tea, look like billowing storm clouds? In an engaging voice at once warm and witty, Czerski shares her stunning breadth of knowledge to lift the veil of familiarity from the ordinary.

All of Earth's ocean, from the equator to the poles, is a single engine powered by sunlight - a blue machine.Human history has been dictated by the ocean; the location of cities, access to resources, and the gateway to new lands have all revolved around water. We live inside the weather the ocean generates and breathe in what it breathes out. Yet despite our dependence, our awareness of its totality is minimal.In a book that will re-calibrate our view of this defining feature of our planet, physicist Helen Czerski dives deep to illuminate the murky depths of the ocean engine, examining the messengers, passengers and voyagers that live in it, travel over it, and survive because of it. From the Ancient Polynesians who navigated the Pacific by reading the waves, to permanent residents of the deep like the Greenland shark that can live for hundreds of years, she explains by way of vast currents, invisible ocean walls and underwater waterfalls how all have their place in the oceans' complex interlinked system.Timely, elegant, and passionately argued, The Blue Machine is one of the biggest stories ever told. Its understanding crucial to our future. Drawing on years at the forefront of marine science, Helen Czerski captures the magnitude and subtlety of this complex force, showing us the thrilling extent to which we are at the mercy of this great engine.

A scientist’s exploration of the "ocean engine"―the physics behind the ocean’s systems―and why it matters. All of Earth’s oceans, from the equator to the poles, are a single engine powered by sunlight, driving huge flows of energy, water, life, and raw materials. In The Blue Machine , physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski illustrates the mechanisms behind this defining feature of our planet, voyaging from the depths of the ocean floor to tropical coral reefs, estuaries that feed into shallow coastal seas, and Arctic ice floes. Through stories of history, culture, and animals, she explains how water temperature, salinity, gravity, and the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates all interact in a complex dance, supporting life at the smallest scale―plankton―and the largest―giant sea turtles, whales, humankind. 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. Most important, however, Czerski reveals that while the ocean engine has sustained us for thousands of years, today it is faced with urgent threats. 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.

Усі ми складаємося з… фізики Кавові плями, попкорн та улюблені магнітики на холодильнику. Ці речі оточують нас у повсякденному житті. Як і ми, не задумуючись, оточуємо себе ними. А чи міркували ви над тим, що спільного між ними та зміною клімату, енергетичною кризою й медичними інноваціями? І до чого тут узагалі фізика? Просто та з гумором Елен Черскі пояснює, які наукові ідеї ховаються за буденними явищами та як усе це тісно переплітається між собою. Чому в качок не мерзнуть лапи, коли вони ходять по кризі? Чому кетчуп так повільно витікає з пляшки? Чому молоко, яке ми додаємо до кави або чаю, схоже на грозові хмари? Надзвичайні фізичні закони, під вплив яких ми щодня потрапляємо та яких не помічаємо й не можемо пояснити. Закони, які є універсальними та діють будь-де - як на вашій кухні, так і в найвіддаленіших куточках всесвіту. Фізика не у шкільних підручниках. Фізика — навколо нас.