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The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works
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.
446 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2023
About the author
Helen Czerski
5 books256 followersHelen Czerski is a physicist at University College London’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and a science presenter for BBC. She writes a monthly column for BBC Focus magazine called “Everyday Science” that was shortlisted for a Professional Publishers Association Award.
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July 1, 2023
From space, our entire tiny Earth is a blue dot. Blue — the color of the ocean that blankets most of it, making Earth as we know it possible.
For all of us the ocean means something different. A place that can be both relaxing and terrifying. A habitat for countless species, all the way to the largest animals on the planet. A place with terrifying depths and crushing pressures, shrouded in perpetual darkness interrupted by occasional unexpected bioluminescence. A place that is both “non-land” in our perception as well as the route connecting the continents. A place that shapes our weather. A place that still feeds us and sequesters our recklessly released carbon and can turn treacherously dangerous the moment you dare to be careless.
Helen Czerski, clearly passionate about it, chooses to present it as an astonishingly elegant and incredibly complex engine of life that powers all the functions of our planet, fueled by the energy of sunlight.
Czerski’s admiration for the ocean in all its glory is contagious. She’s very knowledgeable and is able to share this knowledge in an easily accessible yet comprehensive manner, with details mixed with gentle humor and reasoned respect for the wonders of the titular “blue machine”. She blends physics, chemistry, marine biology, history and environmental science in a very interesting and engaging oceanography narrative that is a pleasure to read.
For me the most important thing to take from this book besides immense respect for the ocean is the realization that ocean is more than “absence of land” and something that is “not there”. It cannot be ignored, and there are limits to the abuse it can take without it altering the life as we know it.
5 stars.
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
For all of us the ocean means something different. A place that can be both relaxing and terrifying. A habitat for countless species, all the way to the largest animals on the planet. A place with terrifying depths and crushing pressures, shrouded in perpetual darkness interrupted by occasional unexpected bioluminescence. A place that is both “non-land” in our perception as well as the route connecting the continents. A place that shapes our weather. A place that still feeds us and sequesters our recklessly released carbon and can turn treacherously dangerous the moment you dare to be careless.
“All of our fresh water is borrowed from the ocean – every cup of tea, every waterfall, 60 per cent of you and me, the most expensive champagne, your dog’s territorial liquid markers, and the snow covering the top of Everest.”
Helen Czerski, clearly passionate about it, chooses to present it as an astonishingly elegant and incredibly complex engine of life that powers all the functions of our planet, fueled by the energy of sunlight.
“The blue of Earth is a gigantic engine, a dynamic liquid power- house that stretches around our planet and is connected to every part of our lives. It has components on every scale, from the mighty Gulf Stream gliding across the Atlantic to the tiny bub- bles bursting at the top of a breaking wave. This is a beautiful, elegant, tightly woven system, full of surprising connections and profound consequences. The complexity can seem over- whelming, but at the largest scale, the logic is straightforward.”
Czerski’s admiration for the ocean in all its glory is contagious. She’s very knowledgeable and is able to share this knowledge in an easily accessible yet comprehensive manner, with details mixed with gentle humor and reasoned respect for the wonders of the titular “blue machine”. She blends physics, chemistry, marine biology, history and environmental science in a very interesting and engaging oceanography narrative that is a pleasure to read.
“In order to avoid ballooning, the turtle also needs to digest everything very quickly, and can probably hold only 25% of its body weight in its gut at any one time. It needs to use up its own energy to stay warm as it gives away energy to the huge amount of seawater passing through. So as it eats, huge plumes of very liquid faeces emerge from the other end. All of this really isn’t a tidy way to live.”
For me the most important thing to take from this book besides immense respect for the ocean is the realization that ocean is more than “absence of land” and something that is “not there”. It cannot be ignored, and there are limits to the abuse it can take without it altering the life as we know it.
5 stars.
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
August 9, 2024
When I heard
"The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works" as an audiobook
, it was a stunning dive into oceanography. The book's accessibility and Helen Czerski's knowledge, coupled with engaging narration, allowed me to understand the complexities of the ocean.
Throughout in this book the author discusses the profound web of the ocean, and walks readers through the world from the biology of marine life to how ocean currents function, highlighting the ocean's importance to our planet. Helen Czerski and the narrator's clean and engaging sciencemanship made the book approachable and interesting to listen to.
This book captivated me because it was able to synthesise science with a good story. Czerski harmonizes research, the author's own comments in the book, and history, which makes for a narratively rich and clear portrait of how the ocean influences the behaviors of the planet and affects weather systems, habitats, and society.
As a science and environment enthusiast, this book felt like a refresher of the knowledge we know about the ocean; it made me realize how fascinating the ocean can be and reminded me of the magical and mysterious side of the ocean. From a conservation and sustainable point of view, the book made it clear to me how valuable the ocean truly is. The audiobook format to me is the most comfortable way to absorb new and interesting information and is a tool to inform anyone curious about the ocean.
For anyone who is excited to learn more about how the ocean shapes this world, "The Blue Machine" is indispensable. Helen Czerski has put together an audiobook that is informative and fun and makes the ocean seem even more spectacular, and underscores the influence the ocean has on the planet.
Throughout in this book the author discusses the profound web of the ocean, and walks readers through the world from the biology of marine life to how ocean currents function, highlighting the ocean's importance to our planet. Helen Czerski and the narrator's clean and engaging sciencemanship made the book approachable and interesting to listen to.
This book captivated me because it was able to synthesise science with a good story. Czerski harmonizes research, the author's own comments in the book, and history, which makes for a narratively rich and clear portrait of how the ocean influences the behaviors of the planet and affects weather systems, habitats, and society.
As a science and environment enthusiast, this book felt like a refresher of the knowledge we know about the ocean; it made me realize how fascinating the ocean can be and reminded me of the magical and mysterious side of the ocean. From a conservation and sustainable point of view, the book made it clear to me how valuable the ocean truly is. The audiobook format to me is the most comfortable way to absorb new and interesting information and is a tool to inform anyone curious about the ocean.
For anyone who is excited to learn more about how the ocean shapes this world, "The Blue Machine" is indispensable. Helen Czerski has put together an audiobook that is informative and fun and makes the ocean seem even more spectacular, and underscores the influence the ocean has on the planet.
August 25, 2024
Parts of it are interesting, but most of it was too boring. For a topic so vast and unknown, I expected it to be more enthralling. So I was disappointed, and its unlikely I’ll remember much from the book past a week.
February 9, 2024
This was a good book, but a rather frustrating read. Czerski's outline of the science of oceanography is first-rate. She is a good writer, and I came away with a better understanding of how the ocean works. In particular, her detailed discussion of ocean currents and ocean winds, with a cool worldwide map of both, was one of the book's highlights for me. And I enjoyed almost all of her accounts of her personal field work, and those of some of her colleagues.
Her metaphor of the Blue Machine got old for me and seemed forced. The book needed a strong editor and better focus! There were many instances where I started skimming -- not that I minded that much, because there was almost always something there of interest. But Czerski seems to like writing as a stream of consciousness. Tiring to have to sieve out the good stuff.
Her retelling of a colleague's work in a hydrothermal vent field off the Pacific coast of Washington was great. This particular one was a huge vertical chimney, with a toadstool-like bowl grown out on one side. Very hot water flowed into this bowl, and overflowed it as an upside-down waterfall! Her friend made a remarkable video, which I would love to see. No link, sigh.
She met some native Hawaiians who were recreating historic outrigger ocean-going canoes, and got to paddle with them -- even to surf-ride in a six-paddle canoe off Maui, which sounds like great fun. And she relates some of the historic navigation feats of the early-day Polynesians in the south Pacific. Impressive navigators, in an area with widely-scattered small islands. Still a few of these indigenous navigators around, even now. Except: GPS!
Most of the book sticks to factual accounts. A brief section at the end outlines her thoughts on what needs to be done about climate change. This was the weakest part of the book for me. She says the first step is to stop burning fossil fuels. Well. I immediately thought of China, which is building coal-fired power plants at a furious pace. The Chinese government says these are needed to back-up solar and wind power plants. Burning coal, the dirtiest possible way to make electricity! Or anything else. Sigh. Politics! Dictators!
For me, this was a 3.3 star book. I'm glad I read it. But it could have been so much better!
Here's a thoughtful (and more positive) review of the book at SCIENCE:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/s...
Her metaphor of the Blue Machine got old for me and seemed forced. The book needed a strong editor and better focus! There were many instances where I started skimming -- not that I minded that much, because there was almost always something there of interest. But Czerski seems to like writing as a stream of consciousness. Tiring to have to sieve out the good stuff.
Her retelling of a colleague's work in a hydrothermal vent field off the Pacific coast of Washington was great. This particular one was a huge vertical chimney, with a toadstool-like bowl grown out on one side. Very hot water flowed into this bowl, and overflowed it as an upside-down waterfall! Her friend made a remarkable video, which I would love to see. No link, sigh.
She met some native Hawaiians who were recreating historic outrigger ocean-going canoes, and got to paddle with them -- even to surf-ride in a six-paddle canoe off Maui, which sounds like great fun. And she relates some of the historic navigation feats of the early-day Polynesians in the south Pacific. Impressive navigators, in an area with widely-scattered small islands. Still a few of these indigenous navigators around, even now. Except: GPS!
Most of the book sticks to factual accounts. A brief section at the end outlines her thoughts on what needs to be done about climate change. This was the weakest part of the book for me. She says the first step is to stop burning fossil fuels. Well. I immediately thought of China, which is building coal-fired power plants at a furious pace. The Chinese government says these are needed to back-up solar and wind power plants. Burning coal, the dirtiest possible way to make electricity! Or anything else. Sigh. Politics! Dictators!
For me, this was a 3.3 star book. I'm glad I read it. But it could have been so much better!
Here's a thoughtful (and more positive) review of the book at SCIENCE:
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/s...
January 8, 2024
Czerski states that the aim of the book "has been to draw the outlines of the Earth's wonderful ocean engine, to show how it works, and to share how it all fits together and why it matters". In my opinion, she has achieved her aim. This is an interesting, in formative and well-written mix of science and history that gives a broad and easily digestible overview of the physical and biological complexity of the ocean. Czerski's main premise is that the entire Earth's ocean, from the equator to the poles, is a single powerful engine powered by sunlight i.e. the "Blue Machine". Czerski covers the biology and physics of the ocean; how nature, shape and anatomy of the ocean influence how it works - salinity, density, temperature, effects of wind, earth's rotation, currents, and geography are discussed; as well as travelling though the ocean as messengers (light and sound), passengers (dissolved atoms, microbes, plankton, animals and plants, and voyagers (those that travel on or through the ocean e.g. humans, penguins, whales). I do feel the book would have benefited from additional diagrams to illustrate concepts.
Note: I love that this book has footnotes instead of endnotes. It's so much easier to glance at the bottom of the page when coming across the relevant symbol, than flipping backwards and forwards constantly.
Note: I love that this book has footnotes instead of endnotes. It's so much easier to glance at the bottom of the page when coming across the relevant symbol, than flipping backwards and forwards constantly.
January 28, 2024
یکی از بهترین متنهای علمیای که این اواخر خواندم. هیچوقت به شکلِ علمی به اقیانوسها توجهی نکرده بودم و با خواندنش آن «حسِ لذتِ چیزی که هیچ از آن نمیدانی» را تجربه کردم.
گوگل یک مصاحبه ویدیویی با نویسندهی کتاب کرده که لینکش را اینجا میگذارم: لینک ویدیو
گوگل یک مصاحبه ویدیویی با نویسندهی کتاب کرده که لینکش را اینجا میگذارم: لینک ویدیو
January 9, 2025
“This book will take you on a voyage through the global ocean, hopping between stories of history and culture, natural history and geography, animals and people, to reveal the basic shape of the blue machine.”
Physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski analyzes the ocean – how and why it works – and its roles in our world. She compares it to a massive “machine” that exchanges energy. She blends science, history, personal experiences, and fascinating facts. The book covers such topics as temperature, salinity, density, tides, currents, carbon, ice floes, marine life, light penetration, and much more. Czerski’s passion for the ocean is obvious. She employs examples from personal experiences and historic episodes that illustrate the concepts she is explaining.
It will appeal to those interested in understanding the essential functions the ocean performs in maintaining the health of our planet. I particularly enjoyed her explanation of its role in carbon exchange. It contains one of the best explanations I have read of the reasons that ocean temperatures are rising. She makes a plea for gaining more understanding of the ocean and supports a shift in attitudes away from exploitation and toward stewardship. She also advocates working together across cultures to achieve a better world.
Physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski analyzes the ocean – how and why it works – and its roles in our world. She compares it to a massive “machine” that exchanges energy. She blends science, history, personal experiences, and fascinating facts. The book covers such topics as temperature, salinity, density, tides, currents, carbon, ice floes, marine life, light penetration, and much more. Czerski’s passion for the ocean is obvious. She employs examples from personal experiences and historic episodes that illustrate the concepts she is explaining.
It will appeal to those interested in understanding the essential functions the ocean performs in maintaining the health of our planet. I particularly enjoyed her explanation of its role in carbon exchange. It contains one of the best explanations I have read of the reasons that ocean temperatures are rising. She makes a plea for gaining more understanding of the ocean and supports a shift in attitudes away from exploitation and toward stewardship. She also advocates working together across cultures to achieve a better world.
January 6, 2025
An odd book. Much like the Blue Machine Czerski describes, the heart of this book is powerful and enigmatic. Unfortunately, like the Blue Machine Czerski describes, this book also has a bunch of junk floating in it.
I know that science non-fiction on this scale is always going to involve some gonzo journalism and the author's personal relationship with whatever's being described is going to be central to the narrative but I can't say I enjoy it much. I don't really need to know how Czerski's hobby of paddling a Hawaiian canoe connects her to the ocean, I have my own personal connection with it. What I want from Czerski is what the subtitle of her book promises me; How The Oceean Shapes Our World, where she sticks to that promise the book is a great read. Some of the rather irrelevant side narratives are also interesting but not really driving the main thesis, then there's just a bunch of junk floating in the sea of words that should have been sifted out by a diligent editor. Czerski has a PHD in bubbles, so fair enough bubbles are going to be really important to her story. That's fine. Write what you know. But the rest of it?
I'm also so sick of the final chapter of these books about our planet and its fragile environment where the author says they've tried to spare us the gloom of climate change in the main text, but here you go, here it all is in a single dump. And then there's this imploring speech about it's not enough just to know it, we have to care, but it's not enough just to care, we have to act. What that action might be always remains largely mysterious. And so the book inevitably, despite its final feeble efforts, leaves you feeling absolutely powerless and even more certain that there's a big problem you really can't do anything about.
Czerski says we can vote for the right politicians but frankly I live in a country that is "girt by sea". Yep girt by it. We're so girt, it's in the national anthem. And not once have I ever heard an Australian politician talk about the health of the ocean that girts us. Let alone run their political campaign on protecting it. Ok yes, there's a few platitudes towards the Great Barrier Reef but the actual ocean itself never merits a mention. The old hip pocket is how people vote, that and what their online tribe tells them to. So yes the ocean shapes our world but it really is an impossible task getting anyone to care.
I know that science non-fiction on this scale is always going to involve some gonzo journalism and the author's personal relationship with whatever's being described is going to be central to the narrative but I can't say I enjoy it much. I don't really need to know how Czerski's hobby of paddling a Hawaiian canoe connects her to the ocean, I have my own personal connection with it. What I want from Czerski is what the subtitle of her book promises me; How The Oceean Shapes Our World, where she sticks to that promise the book is a great read. Some of the rather irrelevant side narratives are also interesting but not really driving the main thesis, then there's just a bunch of junk floating in the sea of words that should have been sifted out by a diligent editor. Czerski has a PHD in bubbles, so fair enough bubbles are going to be really important to her story. That's fine. Write what you know. But the rest of it?
I'm also so sick of the final chapter of these books about our planet and its fragile environment where the author says they've tried to spare us the gloom of climate change in the main text, but here you go, here it all is in a single dump. And then there's this imploring speech about it's not enough just to know it, we have to care, but it's not enough just to care, we have to act. What that action might be always remains largely mysterious. And so the book inevitably, despite its final feeble efforts, leaves you feeling absolutely powerless and even more certain that there's a big problem you really can't do anything about.
Czerski says we can vote for the right politicians but frankly I live in a country that is "girt by sea". Yep girt by it. We're so girt, it's in the national anthem. And not once have I ever heard an Australian politician talk about the health of the ocean that girts us. Let alone run their political campaign on protecting it. Ok yes, there's a few platitudes towards the Great Barrier Reef but the actual ocean itself never merits a mention. The old hip pocket is how people vote, that and what their online tribe tells them to. So yes the ocean shapes our world but it really is an impossible task getting anyone to care.
May 14, 2023
In this fascinating, informative, utterly readable and extremely enjoyable book, Helen Czerski takes us on an exploration of the oceans--the 'blue machine' that we rely on to live, whether we know it or not. Czerski takes a holistic approach. She is interested in the science of the oceans--how they work, the lives of the creatures who live there, the geography and plant life of the oceans and more. That's not all, though--she also investigates how the oceans impact humans, even those living far away. Oceans have shaped history, human cultures, lifestyles, and our habitat and they continue to do so. She states, " The patterns that influence civilizations--weather, resources, culture--are often a consequence of the patterns that the ocean engine generates." (p 45)
In the book, Czerski does a fabulous job of tying all these strands together in a well-written narrative. In each chapter, she writes a bit about her own Scientific fieldwork experiences relevant to the topic at hand. She provides data, but in a very accessible way--you don't need to have a science background to read, enjoy, and benefit from this book. She talks to specialists in specific areas of study and she tells stories based on the research, which is an excellent way to connect with readers. I experienced several 'wow' moments as I was reading and more than once, I stopped to read passages aloud to my husband.
This is the second book by Helen Czerski that I've read and both were excellent. I will not hesitate to read any of her future work--I highly recommend this author.
In the book, Czerski does a fabulous job of tying all these strands together in a well-written narrative. In each chapter, she writes a bit about her own Scientific fieldwork experiences relevant to the topic at hand. She provides data, but in a very accessible way--you don't need to have a science background to read, enjoy, and benefit from this book. She talks to specialists in specific areas of study and she tells stories based on the research, which is an excellent way to connect with readers. I experienced several 'wow' moments as I was reading and more than once, I stopped to read passages aloud to my husband.
This is the second book by Helen Czerski that I've read and both were excellent. I will not hesitate to read any of her future work--I highly recommend this author.
September 1, 2024
‘The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works’ by Helen Czerski is a wonderful in-depth science book about the ocean. It is full of information I did not know! Czerski uses what I would call very enthusiastic descriptions in writing about a subject she clearly loves! This saves the book from the tediousness one usually experiences from reading a book with as much information as a scientific textbook. Instead she has created much excitement in learning what usually are dry facts!
I was born and raised in a port city, Seattle, Washington, where the nearby ocean has been an underlying constant in my everyday life, so common for me that I barely notice its presence. Everywhere I have lived around the Puget Sound, the ocean has been very near, with the gulls always in the skies and the views of boats, ferries, container ships and cruise ships only a five-minute drive away. I owned a 22-foot Reinell “sedan” boat with my husband, with enough space for a small cabin where inside was a gas stove, table, and a place below to sleep. But driving a sedan boat on weekends on Elliot Bay, seeing orcas jump occasionally and avoiding the wake of ferries and container ships, or watching the hydros on Lake Washington in summer while getting a tan on our somewhat rocky beaches, or water skiing as part of the festivities of yet another sea-based fair (eating oyster contests are horrible to see, btw) do nothing in really knowing the ocean.
I have copied the book blurb which is precise and true:
”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.
Most importantly, 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.”
The following is my extremely clumsy non-scientist style of telling a short story version that Czerski explains scientifically in this book in depth:
Czerski writes about how each of the locale-specific currents and gyros of ‘each’ of the different oceans (it really is one ocean, though we humans have given names to the ocean depending on its location) spin and flow, affected by and being affected by winds, air and depth temperatures, the light and heat from the sun striking and affecting the ocean surface and many types of small and microscopic sea critters that use photosynthesis, salinity (which varies!) and the topography of the ocean floor. The water’s energy exchanges and its critters are affected if they are in that part of the ocean which lies in the polar regions or if in the equator. The ocean controls weather behavior and patterns. The ocean has layers of water which behave differently and separately from the other layers. These layers only rarely ‘mix’, but they do in certain seasons near certain locations, which she describes in detail. The mixing is important. A lot of ocean critters, from microscopic to the blue whales (each of which Czerski describes, from life cycle to how they contribute to the circle of life), would not be alive except for what normally lies on the ocean floor being shot up to the surface in certain places on the earth, mingling for the first time. This works vice versa, as well, when surface critters die and slowly sink (sometimes taking decades) to the bottom of the sea. The layers near the ocean floor are vastly different in composition than the ones near the top of the ocean. If people swim in the ocean and believe they know it well as a result, they are wrong! For example, deep down, given the pressure difference of the layers for instance, there are waterfalls that flow up! Up! From the bottom of the ocean upwards to the surface!
Czerski also discusses basically how each of the types of carbon atoms of the living/elements in the air (animal, mineral, vegetable) were in balance with the exchange of types of carbon atoms (animal, mineral, vegetable) in the ocean (poo and eating figures high in many of the carbon exchanging strategies of nature, which Czerski describes in great detail how this critter or that molecule functions in the chain of life) - all of the types of carbon atoms in balance - at least until people began overfishing. And burning carbons for fuel/energy.
I knew almost nothing of what I read in this book! I will quote Czerski, giving her the last word in my review:
””We’re also learning that even this vast body of water isn’t big enough to shrug off the influence of humankind. An increasing awareness of our effect on the ocean is slowly seeping into the public agenda, dragging behind it a conversation that is decades overdue. But this conversation faces a massive obstacle. It’s almost impossible to discuss what to do about something changing if you don’t initially know how it works. If a doctor tells a patient that they have a problem with their kidneys, the patient probably already has at least a vague idea about where their kidneys are and what they’re up to. They learned about that part of their own personal life-support system at school. But that’s not the case for the oceans. When we see a news story about the long-term decline in the numbers of krill in the Southern Ocean, it sounds generally like a bad thing. But there’s far more to it than the risk of whales going hungry. Krill are a part of the ocean engine life that is woven into the fluid machine, and we need to understand at last some of the context before we can discuss the change and take appropriate action.””
The book has an extensive References and Index section. I highly recommend putting this book on your TBR list!
I was born and raised in a port city, Seattle, Washington, where the nearby ocean has been an underlying constant in my everyday life, so common for me that I barely notice its presence. Everywhere I have lived around the Puget Sound, the ocean has been very near, with the gulls always in the skies and the views of boats, ferries, container ships and cruise ships only a five-minute drive away. I owned a 22-foot Reinell “sedan” boat with my husband, with enough space for a small cabin where inside was a gas stove, table, and a place below to sleep. But driving a sedan boat on weekends on Elliot Bay, seeing orcas jump occasionally and avoiding the wake of ferries and container ships, or watching the hydros on Lake Washington in summer while getting a tan on our somewhat rocky beaches, or water skiing as part of the festivities of yet another sea-based fair (eating oyster contests are horrible to see, btw) do nothing in really knowing the ocean.
I have copied the book blurb which is precise and true:
”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.
Most importantly, 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.”
The following is my extremely clumsy non-scientist style of telling a short story version that Czerski explains scientifically in this book in depth:
Czerski writes about how each of the locale-specific currents and gyros of ‘each’ of the different oceans (it really is one ocean, though we humans have given names to the ocean depending on its location) spin and flow, affected by and being affected by winds, air and depth temperatures, the light and heat from the sun striking and affecting the ocean surface and many types of small and microscopic sea critters that use photosynthesis, salinity (which varies!) and the topography of the ocean floor. The water’s energy exchanges and its critters are affected if they are in that part of the ocean which lies in the polar regions or if in the equator. The ocean controls weather behavior and patterns. The ocean has layers of water which behave differently and separately from the other layers. These layers only rarely ‘mix’, but they do in certain seasons near certain locations, which she describes in detail. The mixing is important. A lot of ocean critters, from microscopic to the blue whales (each of which Czerski describes, from life cycle to how they contribute to the circle of life), would not be alive except for what normally lies on the ocean floor being shot up to the surface in certain places on the earth, mingling for the first time. This works vice versa, as well, when surface critters die and slowly sink (sometimes taking decades) to the bottom of the sea. The layers near the ocean floor are vastly different in composition than the ones near the top of the ocean. If people swim in the ocean and believe they know it well as a result, they are wrong! For example, deep down, given the pressure difference of the layers for instance, there are waterfalls that flow up! Up! From the bottom of the ocean upwards to the surface!
Czerski also discusses basically how each of the types of carbon atoms of the living/elements in the air (animal, mineral, vegetable) were in balance with the exchange of types of carbon atoms (animal, mineral, vegetable) in the ocean (poo and eating figures high in many of the carbon exchanging strategies of nature, which Czerski describes in great detail how this critter or that molecule functions in the chain of life) - all of the types of carbon atoms in balance - at least until people began overfishing. And burning carbons for fuel/energy.
I knew almost nothing of what I read in this book! I will quote Czerski, giving her the last word in my review:
””We’re also learning that even this vast body of water isn’t big enough to shrug off the influence of humankind. An increasing awareness of our effect on the ocean is slowly seeping into the public agenda, dragging behind it a conversation that is decades overdue. But this conversation faces a massive obstacle. It’s almost impossible to discuss what to do about something changing if you don’t initially know how it works. If a doctor tells a patient that they have a problem with their kidneys, the patient probably already has at least a vague idea about where their kidneys are and what they’re up to. They learned about that part of their own personal life-support system at school. But that’s not the case for the oceans. When we see a news story about the long-term decline in the numbers of krill in the Southern Ocean, it sounds generally like a bad thing. But there’s far more to it than the risk of whales going hungry. Krill are a part of the ocean engine life that is woven into the fluid machine, and we need to understand at last some of the context before we can discuss the change and take appropriate action.””
The book has an extensive References and Index section. I highly recommend putting this book on your TBR list!
May 25, 2023
Blue Machine by Helen Czerski is a fascinating exploration of the ocean that encompasses physics and biology as well as history and and concern for the future. The central premise of the book is that all of the earth's ocean, from the equator to the poles is a single powerful engine powered by sunlight. This is obviously a very simplistic deconstruction of a vast and complicated ecological system, and in the course of her book the author elucidates her points in a clear way that make them easy for the lay person to understand. Her passion for her subject shines through in her writing and in the way she incorporates personal stories and anecdotes to link her present to humanity's past and even her fears for the future of the planet. I loved seeing how she was able to tie so many topics together and show how much the "blue machine" has influenced humanity in unexpected ways. I also must give a little shout out to the beautiful cover design, which really highlights the seas and oceans , framing the map of the world in a way that makes us look at it with fresh eyes.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
September 21, 2023
more than 90% of the ocean remains unexplored. is it true? 🌊
let’s get our facts right.
📑Blue machine: idea that the ocean operates according to specific physical & biological principles (like a well-engineered machine).
The term "Blue Machine" is a metaphor used to describe the Earth's oceans as a complex, interconnected system that plays a fundamental role in shaping our planet's climate, ecosystems, & even human civilisation.
An extraordinary & captivating read on oceans, revealing their profound influence on our world. Czerski's approach to oceanography is extensively eye-opening yet accessible, making this book an essential read for everyone to understand the intricate interplay between the ocean, climate, ecosystems, & human civilisation.
Czerski skillfully weaves together ocean physics with engaging narratives through personal anecdotes & fieldwork experiences, creating an informative narrative. The book masterfully connects the dots between ocean physics, marine life, geography, & the profound impact oceans have had on history & cultures. Addresses & debunk believes; cultural, biases, that are either beneficial or detrimental towards our ocean. By highlighting the intricate patterns & processes within the 'blue machine,' Czerski enables readers, with or without scientific backgroundt, to appreciate the ocean's pivotal role in shaping our planet.
A very fascinating read—how Czerski inspire wonder & awe about the ocean while also conveying the urgency of addressing the environmental challenges it faces. Understanding its ecosystem & how we, humans, contributed to it, definitely shocks me discovering unexpected cases of environmental issues related to the ocean itself, while, we heavily depend on our "blue machine" for livelihood & survival. Czerski's passion for physics shines through & her book serves as call to action, & celebration of the beautiful ocean's anatomy. Offers a profound understanding of why observing ocean health matters & how we can better care for it—an important & remarkable read that will leave you with a deep appreciation for the 'blue planet' we call home. Considering the topic, I personally find this one a bit lengthy compared to her amazing first book on everyday physics (Storm in A Teacup).
let’s get our facts right.
📑Blue machine: idea that the ocean operates according to specific physical & biological principles (like a well-engineered machine).
The term "Blue Machine" is a metaphor used to describe the Earth's oceans as a complex, interconnected system that plays a fundamental role in shaping our planet's climate, ecosystems, & even human civilisation.
An extraordinary & captivating read on oceans, revealing their profound influence on our world. Czerski's approach to oceanography is extensively eye-opening yet accessible, making this book an essential read for everyone to understand the intricate interplay between the ocean, climate, ecosystems, & human civilisation.
Czerski skillfully weaves together ocean physics with engaging narratives through personal anecdotes & fieldwork experiences, creating an informative narrative. The book masterfully connects the dots between ocean physics, marine life, geography, & the profound impact oceans have had on history & cultures. Addresses & debunk believes; cultural, biases, that are either beneficial or detrimental towards our ocean. By highlighting the intricate patterns & processes within the 'blue machine,' Czerski enables readers, with or without scientific backgroundt, to appreciate the ocean's pivotal role in shaping our planet.
A very fascinating read—how Czerski inspire wonder & awe about the ocean while also conveying the urgency of addressing the environmental challenges it faces. Understanding its ecosystem & how we, humans, contributed to it, definitely shocks me discovering unexpected cases of environmental issues related to the ocean itself, while, we heavily depend on our "blue machine" for livelihood & survival. Czerski's passion for physics shines through & her book serves as call to action, & celebration of the beautiful ocean's anatomy. Offers a profound understanding of why observing ocean health matters & how we can better care for it—an important & remarkable read that will leave you with a deep appreciation for the 'blue planet' we call home. Considering the topic, I personally find this one a bit lengthy compared to her amazing first book on everyday physics (Storm in A Teacup).
December 16, 2023
A strong editor could have made this book 5 stars. So many stories that have no point and excessive preaching. What does artillery hitting Paris have to do with the ocean?!? and sailing is better than cargo ships because....I could write more but this is a good book to skim. There are lots of interesting things. The largest waterfall on earth is underwater between Iceland and Greenland. The various layers and how the ocean currents work was fascinating. The footnotes are entertaining and informative!
June 23, 2023
Blue Machine beautifully explores how the ocean has affected the world. There was so much new and interesting information that I loved this book. I listened to the abridged version on BBC Sounds and I now want to pick up the whole book.
I noticed it was published by Transworld who recently published another fabulous book called Pathogenesis, which is how viruses have affected the world we live in - also an excellent book.
I noticed it was published by Transworld who recently published another fabulous book called Pathogenesis, which is how viruses have affected the world we live in - also an excellent book.
January 19, 2024
I liked this book. Czerski has a poetic writing style that neither becomes too overwrought nor sacrifices accuracy for the sake of poetry. As a fellow science writer, the second one is very important to me. In reading The Blue Machine, I learned a lot about the ocean, including answers to questions I didn't know to ask.
Some of the information felt a bit extraneous, and, true, this book could have been shorter. But ultimately those parts were rendered with such delight that I gave in and accepted that I would learn about herring and tuna and the myriad functions of poop in oceanic ecosystems. Everything is connected. I enjoyed seeing those connections through Czerski's expert eyes, because even while she's teaching us, it's obvious that she still views the ocean with wonder. Shouldn't we all?
I'd recommend this book for readers who enjoyed Susan Casey's The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean. Even though there's a little bit of overlap in a few historical stories between the two books, they make good companions for readers who want to learn more about Earth's majestic oceans.
Some of the information felt a bit extraneous, and, true, this book could have been shorter. But ultimately those parts were rendered with such delight that I gave in and accepted that I would learn about herring and tuna and the myriad functions of poop in oceanic ecosystems. Everything is connected. I enjoyed seeing those connections through Czerski's expert eyes, because even while she's teaching us, it's obvious that she still views the ocean with wonder. Shouldn't we all?
I'd recommend this book for readers who enjoyed Susan Casey's The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean. Even though there's a little bit of overlap in a few historical stories between the two books, they make good companions for readers who want to learn more about Earth's majestic oceans.
June 2, 2023
A riveting insight into the world’s oceanography. I found this author’s knowledge and obvious passion for the subject, really inspiring and it’s amazing to learn how things like the food chain amongst the creatures of the ocean, appear to feed off each other and yet keep the chain going. It seems it starts with phytoplankton “gorging on sunlight”. What a mind-blowing thought! Further into the book we’re introduced to what in effect are upside down waterfalls. It’s hard to even try and imagine such a thing but this book is full of magical occurrences going on beneath the surface of the oceans that is really all we we see as land creatures. This is definitely a book to read to learn more about this beautiful part of our world. I’m glad I have. Highly recommended.
March 31, 2024
4.5 Remarkable. Highly recommended. History, the ocean, everything!
September 20, 2024
This book won the Wainwright Conservation Prize 2024.
I wasn’t on the panel that made the decision. As informative as this is, I would have given the prize to Sophie Yeo’s Nature’s Ghosts: The world we lost and how to bring it backNature’s Ghosts: The world we lost and how to bring it back, which is actually the only other book in the shortlist I have read, though I do plan to read some of the others.
In taking in a book about the oceans of our planet there needs to be plenty of science and statistics, and this is a very fact driven book. It is divided into three parts, the last of which only occupies a few pages. In that, the third part, Czerski says she has intentionally avoided mentioning the damage done by humans to the ocean and what the future holds. The first two parts, 80 per cent of the text, is to do with the nature of the ocean. I had hoped to read more about conservation. I enjoy figures, facts and statistics, each following closely after the previous, much less.
More human anecdotes require good writing to convince and enthral. Here, those are outweighed by the science, but when they are present, they stand out as a highlight. An example is how the ship of the explorer Nansen was trapped in what he termed ‘dead water’ in 1893, his boat would not move. Czerski provides the reason with a well-written passage that grips the attention. Unfortunately there are too few such examples.
I wasn’t on the panel that made the decision. As informative as this is, I would have given the prize to Sophie Yeo’s Nature’s Ghosts: The world we lost and how to bring it backNature’s Ghosts: The world we lost and how to bring it back, which is actually the only other book in the shortlist I have read, though I do plan to read some of the others.
In taking in a book about the oceans of our planet there needs to be plenty of science and statistics, and this is a very fact driven book. It is divided into three parts, the last of which only occupies a few pages. In that, the third part, Czerski says she has intentionally avoided mentioning the damage done by humans to the ocean and what the future holds. The first two parts, 80 per cent of the text, is to do with the nature of the ocean. I had hoped to read more about conservation. I enjoy figures, facts and statistics, each following closely after the previous, much less.
More human anecdotes require good writing to convince and enthral. Here, those are outweighed by the science, but when they are present, they stand out as a highlight. An example is how the ship of the explorer Nansen was trapped in what he termed ‘dead water’ in 1893, his boat would not move. Czerski provides the reason with a well-written passage that grips the attention. Unfortunately there are too few such examples.
October 6, 2024
“there is no such place as away”
a book very, very well done
Read
January 26, 2024DNF. A lot of the science talk just goes over my head.
But did I get a few really strong sermon analogies and a deeper appreciation for water? Absolutely.
But did I get a few really strong sermon analogies and a deeper appreciation for water? Absolutely.
January 6, 2024
Czerski's clear passion makes reading The Blue Machine even more enjoyable. I learned a lot and it made me think more about the interconnectedness and the impact the ocean has on the world and survival.
June 25, 2023
I love to learn about how our planet works and it shapes our life and shaped out history.
This is an informative and fascinating book about oceans and it's highly recommended because you learn a lot and travel to new places that are usually hidden
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This is an informative and fascinating book about oceans and it's highly recommended because you learn a lot and travel to new places that are usually hidden
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 7, 2023
This book weaves together physics and biology,history and science in an amazing lyrical manner .Covers everything from enormous currents ,ancient seafarers through to the smallest creatures living in darkness at the bottom of the ocean . Truly shows how the oceans aka the blue machine shapes our world .
August 21, 2023
Fascinating. I had no idea how complex and interconnected everything to do with the ocean is but this book definitely sheds light on some things. My fav piece of info was about the turtle and how it constantly cries to get rid of the salt water 💧
July 10, 2024
I loved this book - really interesting and inspiring. The author has a way of describing things from unusual angles that makes you see them differently.
January 13, 2025
The “blue machine” is, of course, the ocean. But once physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski has held your hand and your mind through her amazing book, The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works, whatever prior notion and concept you had of the ocean will be transformed. As well as a machine, Czerski likens the ocean to an engine, and an engine is something that does work. The difference with the ocean is that there is no on/off switch: courtesy of the energy-giving sun, the ocean is working all the time.
The Blue Machine has a three-part structure: Part One answers the question What is the Blue Machine? in terms of its nature, shape, and anatomy (yes indeed, the ocean has shape and anatomy!); Part Two, Travelling the Blue Machine, introduces readers to messengers, passengers, and voyagers; and Part Three is about The Blue Machine and Us, containing a cautionary warning and a note of wishful optimism for the future.
As readers journey with Czerski through these sections of the book, they will be educated and enthralled with meticulous detail of how the ocean becomes an engine fueled by sunlight, which it converts to energy to create “movement and life and complexity.” Wearing hats of physicist and oceanographer, Czerski will discuss the impact of common factors such as temperature, salinity, and gravity. But she is also versatile enough to don the hat of marine biologist, and introduce readers to a host of ocean creatures—large and small, common and unfamiliar—and their individual and collective roles as part of the blue machine.
And when there is a physicist in the vicinity, then there will be an abundance of equations—not mathematical ones, but logical explanations—showing how all of the above interact to keep everything, ideally, in stasis. Inevitably, what tends to throw things out of balance is human presence. It could be argued that, at one time, human ignorance fostered a practice of taking from our ocean planet whatever was necessary for survival and existence without concern for impact or consequence for the future.
That argument no longer holds. The pages of Czerski’s book alone illustrate the vast knowledge we have accumulated about our oceans—how they work, what they need to be sustained, and the unsolicited bounty they provide us. We also know with clarity what impact our irresponsible actions have on our oceans’ future. In what must be one of the most forgiving, benign, and euphemistic statements in her book, Czerski says: “But with a deeper knowledge of the ocean comes the responsibility to be good citizens of our ocean planet. The benefit of hindsight tells us that, for the most part, we have not been good citizens over the past two hundred years.”
Czerski and other writers on the subject would be well within their rights to use stronger, more forceful language to sound their warnings and their pleas, with words such as abuse, neglect, plunder, irresponsible, and self-interested. The Blue Machine is a wonderful book by a passionate scientist and an exceedingly competent writer, and it is required reading for all those aspiring to be good citizens of our ocean planet.
The Blue Machine has a three-part structure: Part One answers the question What is the Blue Machine? in terms of its nature, shape, and anatomy (yes indeed, the ocean has shape and anatomy!); Part Two, Travelling the Blue Machine, introduces readers to messengers, passengers, and voyagers; and Part Three is about The Blue Machine and Us, containing a cautionary warning and a note of wishful optimism for the future.
As readers journey with Czerski through these sections of the book, they will be educated and enthralled with meticulous detail of how the ocean becomes an engine fueled by sunlight, which it converts to energy to create “movement and life and complexity.” Wearing hats of physicist and oceanographer, Czerski will discuss the impact of common factors such as temperature, salinity, and gravity. But she is also versatile enough to don the hat of marine biologist, and introduce readers to a host of ocean creatures—large and small, common and unfamiliar—and their individual and collective roles as part of the blue machine.
And when there is a physicist in the vicinity, then there will be an abundance of equations—not mathematical ones, but logical explanations—showing how all of the above interact to keep everything, ideally, in stasis. Inevitably, what tends to throw things out of balance is human presence. It could be argued that, at one time, human ignorance fostered a practice of taking from our ocean planet whatever was necessary for survival and existence without concern for impact or consequence for the future.
That argument no longer holds. The pages of Czerski’s book alone illustrate the vast knowledge we have accumulated about our oceans—how they work, what they need to be sustained, and the unsolicited bounty they provide us. We also know with clarity what impact our irresponsible actions have on our oceans’ future. In what must be one of the most forgiving, benign, and euphemistic statements in her book, Czerski says: “But with a deeper knowledge of the ocean comes the responsibility to be good citizens of our ocean planet. The benefit of hindsight tells us that, for the most part, we have not been good citizens over the past two hundred years.”
Czerski and other writers on the subject would be well within their rights to use stronger, more forceful language to sound their warnings and their pleas, with words such as abuse, neglect, plunder, irresponsible, and self-interested. The Blue Machine is a wonderful book by a passionate scientist and an exceedingly competent writer, and it is required reading for all those aspiring to be good citizens of our ocean planet.
December 16, 2023
Fascinating book, some parts more fascinating than others. Went in thinking it would be more about what lives in the ocean than the actual ocean itself; water patterns, temperature changes and the like. Reading books like this constantly amazes me how seemingly everything on earth is in total synchronicity, helping to stabilize and make sure everyone is fed, cared for. Everything except us, basically. It’s hard not to slip into misanthropy thinking about how we as a species have done innumerable and irreversible harms to this machine that has been running efficiently for millions of years. Anyway happy holidays if you like science and nature check this one out!
March 9, 2024
After reading journalist Susan Casey's The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean, I was hoping to find a similar book written by an actual scientist on a similar topic. Czerski fits the demographic bill -- she has a PhD in physics and has had a robust research career studying ocean bubble acoustics. Unfortunately, I didn't love The Blue Machine -- while the descriptions of the science are sound, I felt like the narrative could be improved by less density and repetition.
June 18, 2024
I loved this book about the different systems of the ocean, and what we know so far about how it operates and influences earth. This book moved me to tears several times in awe and wonder of the complexity of earth, and the magnificence of the intricacy and grandeur of what Helen Czerski calls the ocean engine - it converts energy into so many other things we humans need to survive.
The Blue Machine focuses largely on how the ocean works, with the last section devoted to some of the very serious challenges the ocean faces and the potential impacts it can have on us. I loved how Helen Czerski brought humans into this current picture - we humans have also been on earth for a long time, the idea of a ‘pristine’ ocean is actually quite murky, and we still don’t understand many things about this amazing planet we live on.
This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in how large, complex systems work, loves the ocean and nature, or is curious about how life is supported and sustained on earth.
August 18, 2024
This book was full of a lot of very descriptive language so I'm afraid I won't remember a lot of the details from it. I will, however, remember that it made me feel more connected to the ocean. That is fitting as the author's main theme is that the ocean is connected to everything, not just to the other waterways, but to people and animals as well, in the very food we eat.
Here's a passage I marked in my brain to remember:
"Surveying a grand vista of the ocean depths would be amazing, but any ocean where that was possible would be a poor sight for spectators, because it would have no way of absorbing light energy to fuel interesting characteristics. It's the catch-22 of the ocean: to really see the beauty and richness of the engine, you would need to turn the light absorption off. But if you did turn it off and light could flow freely through the blue machine, there would be no energy entering the system to fuel the beauty and richness of the engine. The cost of the beauty is not being able to see it."
The above is a good sample of how the book reads and I think it's a pleasant way to spend some time.
Here's a passage I marked in my brain to remember:
"Surveying a grand vista of the ocean depths would be amazing, but any ocean where that was possible would be a poor sight for spectators, because it would have no way of absorbing light energy to fuel interesting characteristics. It's the catch-22 of the ocean: to really see the beauty and richness of the engine, you would need to turn the light absorption off. But if you did turn it off and light could flow freely through the blue machine, there would be no energy entering the system to fuel the beauty and richness of the engine. The cost of the beauty is not being able to see it."
The above is a good sample of how the book reads and I think it's a pleasant way to spend some time.
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