On dry land, most organisms are confined to the surface, or at most to altitudes of a hundred metersβthe height of the tallest trees. In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planetβs largest habitat. Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly unchartedβonly about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detailβand we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million. The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earthβs largest reservoir of life. Combining the latest scientific discoveries with astonishing color imagery, The Deep takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. Revealing natureβs oddest and most mesmerizing creatures in crystalline detail, The Deep features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, living fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed here for the very first time. Accompanying these breathtaking photographs are contributions from some of the worldβs most respected researchers that examine the biology of deep-sea organisms, the ecology of deep-sea habitats, and the history of deep-sea exploration. An unforgettable visual and scientific tour of the teeming abyss, The Deep celebrates the incredible diversity of life on Earth and will captivate anyone intrigued by the unseenβand unimaginableβcreatures of the deep sea.
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Today - December 21, 2007 NewsHour with Jim Lehrer - July 30, 2007 NewsHour with Jim Lehrer - July 16, 2007
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