Reviews
Even people with no scientific background know that the sea is a treasure trove of life. Earth could become a planet teeming with life as it is today because it has the size and gravity to hold onto its oceans. The author—a physicist, prominent marine scientist, columnist, and host of the BBC’s flagship science documentaries—calls the life-giving sea the Blue Machine. It may seem strange to call nature a “machine,” but after reading the explanation of the sea as a vast engine that circulates
Today everyone knows that the sea is the source of humanity. When we investigate our galaxy or exoplanets, we first look for the presence of water to determine whether life could exist. It was not always so. Only after going into space did humanity realize that Earth’s greatest feature is water, not land. We now launch rockets into space, yet we still do not know all the secrets of our own planet. The greatest unknown is the sea. The author, Helen Czerski, is a world-renowned marine scientist
I get up at 7 in the morning, rush to work, and before I know it, it’s 9. I spend the day in a daze until it’s 7, leave work, and by the time I get home it’s already 9. I watch a little TV and chat briefly with my family, then it’s time for bed. Living this ticktock life between home and work makes me wonder, “What on earth is ‘the greatness of Earth’?” But when it suddenly hits me who I am, how Earth came to be, and how it works, even I, worn down by a dull life, get goosebumps all over my
The sea is frightening to humans, yet it provides the conditions and everything we need to live. Covering 70% of Earth, it is like the planet’s skin: it shields Earth from excessive solar energy, circulates heat, and, through currents, moves seawater around the globe. That water becomes rain and sustains Earth’s landscapes and ecosystems. The book describes the sea as one vast, integrated entity and calls it the “blue machine,” which maintains Earth’s ecosystems and supplies what people need to
When I looked at the sea, I always seemed to look at the wide sky along with it. I admired the sunrises and sunsets without paying much attention to the sea itself, but that has changed recently. While our government looks on, the Japanese government continues discharging nuclear-contaminated water. Radioactive contamination of marine ecosystems and seafood is likely to become even more serious, yet the media rarely voices concern, while broadcasts showing people happily eating seafood are
Along with mountains, the sea is one of nature’s defining features. People seek healing through travel, especially by the sea, and this book explains in detail the remarkable tangible and intangible value that the ocean and its ecosystems provide. Blue Machine presents the sea as something that gives endlessly to us humans and lives in symbiosis with us. Its author, a marine scientist, assesses these phenomena and changes from a broad perspective and also explains what values general readers
Blue Machine is a book about the world beneath the blue sea. It can broaden every reader’s understanding of a world that is both near and far, familiar yet profound. I want to describe it as a treasure that gave me a wealth of knowledge about the sea—so much that even the book’s subject matter brought the sea itself to mind. The author, Helen Czerski, is a marine scientist with doctorates in experimental physics and oceanography. She teaches marine physics in the Department of Mechanical
From the perspective of the distant universe, the human story begins with sunlight traveling from the Sun to Earth. Solar energy drives Earth’s many systems and directly affects every living thing on the planet. This is closely related to how the sea absorbs solar energy, transforms it into different forms, and affects the whole Earth. As sunlight passes through Earth’s engine, it is reflected, scattered, and absorbed, becoming many kinds of energy. The sea is at the center of this
This book offers a comprehensive explanation of the sea, from its physical principles and ecosystem to its relationship with humans. The author’s excellent scientific insight and love of the ocean come through throughout, helping readers recognize anew its mystery and importance. I think readers who have been curious about how the sea works will gain plenty of useful knowledge.
I’m afraid of the sea. When I see its vast blue expanse, I want to jump in, yet the thought of nature’s immeasurable depths fills me with a vague fear and awe. Although the ocean that surrounds Earth occupies only a small part of the planet, humans have limited understanding and still see much of it as veiled, unexplored territory. I sometimes think how small and insignificant each person must look from deep space. Reading this book, though, I felt how much every human action affects the
Helen Czerski: Blue machine
The finest popular-science book tracing the movements of the sea, moving through natural history, geography, history, and culture, with marine physics at its center! “More than any other science, the sea reminds me that I am human.” The author, Helen Czerski, is a leading BBC science-documentary presenter and columnist who has become a renowned marine scientist while sharing the beauty of everyday physics with millions of viewers. “Blue Machine” is the name Czerski gave to the sea, which circulates around the whole Earth and regulates the planet’s balance like a vast engine. The precise movements of this blue machine sustain Earth’s ecosystems and energy systems, allowing life—including human life—to continue. We sometimes imagine the sea is far away. Yet it reaches into life on land and has left clear marks on human history. Ignorance of the sea has led to histories of defeat and death; those who learned to read its movements prospered from its rich store of resources. Understanding this vast blue realm may seem daunting, but the author’s superb storytelling, extensive field experience, and brilliant insights turn it into a vivid voyage. At the end of this long story, which moves from the sea’s properties to its components and relationship with humans, understanding its physical complexity gives us a new way to see Earth’s time and humanity’s time. This book is a gift in itself.
Korean title: 블루 머신
Korean author: 헬렌 체르스키
Korean publisher: 쌤앤파커스
ISBN-13: 9791165349622
Reviews
Even people with no scientific background know that the sea is a treasure trove of life. Earth could become a planet teeming with life as it is today because it has the size and gravity to hold onto its oceans. The author—a physicist, prominent marine scientist, columnist, and host of the BBC’s flagship science documentaries—calls the life-giving sea the Blue Machine. It may seem strange to call nature a “machine,” but after reading the explanation of the sea as a vast engine that circulates
Today everyone knows that the sea is the source of humanity. When we investigate our galaxy or exoplanets, we first look for the presence of water to determine whether life could exist. It was not always so. Only after going into space did humanity realize that Earth’s greatest feature is water, not land. We now launch rockets into space, yet we still do not know all the secrets of our own planet. The greatest unknown is the sea. The author, Helen Czerski, is a world-renowned marine scientist
I get up at 7 in the morning, rush to work, and before I know it, it’s 9. I spend the day in a daze until it’s 7, leave work, and by the time I get home it’s already 9. I watch a little TV and chat briefly with my family, then it’s time for bed. Living this ticktock life between home and work makes me wonder, “What on earth is ‘the greatness of Earth’?” But when it suddenly hits me who I am, how Earth came to be, and how it works, even I, worn down by a dull life, get goosebumps all over my
The sea is frightening to humans, yet it provides the conditions and everything we need to live. Covering 70% of Earth, it is like the planet’s skin: it shields Earth from excessive solar energy, circulates heat, and, through currents, moves seawater around the globe. That water becomes rain and sustains Earth’s landscapes and ecosystems. The book describes the sea as one vast, integrated entity and calls it the “blue machine,” which maintains Earth’s ecosystems and supplies what people need to
When I looked at the sea, I always seemed to look at the wide sky along with it. I admired the sunrises and sunsets without paying much attention to the sea itself, but that has changed recently. While our government looks on, the Japanese government continues discharging nuclear-contaminated water. Radioactive contamination of marine ecosystems and seafood is likely to become even more serious, yet the media rarely voices concern, while broadcasts showing people happily eating seafood are
Along with mountains, the sea is one of nature’s defining features. People seek healing through travel, especially by the sea, and this book explains in detail the remarkable tangible and intangible value that the ocean and its ecosystems provide. Blue Machine presents the sea as something that gives endlessly to us humans and lives in symbiosis with us. Its author, a marine scientist, assesses these phenomena and changes from a broad perspective and also explains what values general readers
Blue Machine is a book about the world beneath the blue sea. It can broaden every reader’s understanding of a world that is both near and far, familiar yet profound. I want to describe it as a treasure that gave me a wealth of knowledge about the sea—so much that even the book’s subject matter brought the sea itself to mind. The author, Helen Czerski, is a marine scientist with doctorates in experimental physics and oceanography. She teaches marine physics in the Department of Mechanical
From the perspective of the distant universe, the human story begins with sunlight traveling from the Sun to Earth. Solar energy drives Earth’s many systems and directly affects every living thing on the planet. This is closely related to how the sea absorbs solar energy, transforms it into different forms, and affects the whole Earth. As sunlight passes through Earth’s engine, it is reflected, scattered, and absorbed, becoming many kinds of energy. The sea is at the center of this
This book offers a comprehensive explanation of the sea, from its physical principles and ecosystem to its relationship with humans. The author’s excellent scientific insight and love of the ocean come through throughout, helping readers recognize anew its mystery and importance. I think readers who have been curious about how the sea works will gain plenty of useful knowledge.
I’m afraid of the sea. When I see its vast blue expanse, I want to jump in, yet the thought of nature’s immeasurable depths fills me with a vague fear and awe. Although the ocean that surrounds Earth occupies only a small part of the planet, humans have limited understanding and still see much of it as veiled, unexplored territory. I sometimes think how small and insignificant each person must look from deep space. Reading this book, though, I felt how much every human action affects the
