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. BBC – New BBC Two NHU series explores super senses of animal world in Beyond Human – Media centre". bbc.co.uk.

Czerski: The ocean is heated from above by the sun, and warm water is buoyant. Mixing takes energy. The warmer you make this upper layer, the harder it is for water to get out of that layer. 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.” BOOK OF THE WEEK: This beautifully written, sweeping guide shows how the deep movement of the seas have ruled our lives in unexpected ways over millennia. Tom Whipple, The Times 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. The Blue Machine is a point of departure, a map for further exploration. Not since reading The Diversity of Life by E.O. Wilson have I read a book as timely, salient, and informative.Unless specified, our public events are suitable for ages 15 and above. However for most events, younger children are more than welcome to attend with parental permission.

In Helen Czerski's hands, the mechanical becomes magical. An instant classic. Tristan Gooley, author of How to Read Water In her new book, The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Works, Czerski — a frequent science presenter on the BBC — offers a lyrical primer on the natural forces that power the global ocean and how human activities are putting some of these processes at risk. While reporting on the ocean often focuses on the well-known scourges of plastic, chemical pollution, and overfishing, Czerski examines our impacts on the physics of the ocean system, which she describes as a gigantic and highly complex engine.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.

Awash with fascinating facts. Helen Czerski writes with authority, passion, and an easy conversational style. You will want to be out there on the ice and ocean with her. I loved it. 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. Czerski's] profound, sparkling global ocean voyage mingles history and culture, natural history, geography, animals and people. Andrew Robinson, Nature In this captivating and urgently-needed book, Czerski weaves a wonderful, watery spell, entwining spectacular science with poetic awe as she expertly guides readers through the workings of a vast, unfamiliar world. Moving and thrilling, The Blue Machine tells us about the seas but also makes us care: an epic love story that captures the ocean's beating heart. -- Jo Marchant, author of Cure and The Human CosmosWith her passion and expertise in marine science, Helen offers a thrilling and captivating account of our oceans' intricate workings and its significance to our future. Don't miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of our oceans and their fundamental role in our world. This brilliantly organised account of it will change the way you see the world, and its colossal oceanic expanses. There is indeed a great blue engine, regulating the circulatory systems of our home world. It is, as Czerski puts it, the beating heart of the planet. Jon Turney, Arts Desk

All of the Earth's ocean, from the equator to the poles, is a single-engine powered by sunlight – a blue machine. Chambers, Chris (10 June 2014). "Physics envy: Do 'hard' sciences hold the solution to the replication crisis in psychology? | Chris Chambers | Science". theguardian.com . Retrieved 16 June 2014.

BookBrowse Review

Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life. Bantam Press, 2016. ISBN 0593075420 whose version in Italian translation won the third edition (2018) of Premio ASIMOV [44] (Asimov award) for the best book in scientific dissemination published in Italy. Czerski is a wonderful writer. Most scientists could give you a handful of fascinating facts about their subject, no doubt, but few can string them together into such a compelling and elegantly written story, or convey complex ideas and novel perspectives with a few vivid phrases. Blue Machine really does change the way you see the world.' Christopher Hart, Daily Mail Via the chat box. The host will keep you updated between 5 mins before the start and the cut off time of 15 minutes after the start.