Physicist Helen Czerski's new book explores the ocean's workings. Today, she considers the ingenuity of ocean dwellers in dealing with the problem posed by their salty home. Lyndsey Marshal reads.

Helen Czerski is at the forefront of marine science and in her new book she offers fascinating insights into the defining feature of our planet, its ocean. Here Czerski explores the passengers and voyagers who live and travel across the ocean from the humble herring, to the cannibalistic Humboldt squid to the mysterious sea-potato. We travel to the depths and encounter active volcanoes and an upside down waterfall. Czerski also examines the history of human fascination with the ocean, from nineteenth century polar explorers, to her own passion for Hawaii's canoeing prowess.

Helen Czerski is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department. She studies the bubbles underneath breaking waves in the open ocean to understand their effects on weather. Czerski hosts the Ocean Matters podcast, and is a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. She is also the author of the bestselling Storm in a Teacup: the Physics of Everyday Life.

Abridged by Penny Leicester
Produced by Elizabeth Allard Show less