The Deep End

By popsci Posted 05.16.2007 at 10:28 am 13 Comments

The Fanfin Seadevil is found at nearly 9,000 feet below;
photo by David Shale

In her introduction to The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss, Claire Nouvian says she was inspired to create the book after seeing a film of deep-sea creatures made by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute: "As crazy as it might seem, I had fallen in love at first sight. Like an adolescent surprised by the power of love . . . " (and so on). But if Nouvian seems overemotional initially, it becomes easier to understand her fervor once you brush aside the intro and skip to the meat: the photos.

Most of the book is composed of giant (frequently larger-than-life-size) photographs of deep-sea creatures: the gelatinous Pandea rubra, which bears an uncanny resemblance to a police strobe light; the seed-like larvae of the Spantagoid heart urchin, whose appendages stretch at near-perfect right angles; glass octopi like living x-rays, frilled sharks, furry lobsters. In all, nearly 200 creatures, some of which have never been photographed before, many of which are unknown species, all of which seem unreal, incomprehensible even.

Nouvian divides the organisms roughly in half—"Life at the Bottom" is one cluster, "Life in the Water Column" another—and intersperses the photos with short essays written by marine biologists from around the world. These pieces cover everything from the history of deep-sea exploration to the truth about sea monsters to the science behind bioluminescence ("without any doubt the most widely used mode of communication on the planet") and, thankfully, are both excellently written and spare. They provide background without ever detracting from the point—the creatures themselves.

Although the deep sea constitutes the single largest habitat on Earth, we understand very little of what exists there. Only 5 percent of the ocean's floor, for instance, has been mapped in any degree of detail. Over the past 25 years, meanwhile, a new creature has been noted nearly every other week. Nevertheless, as Nouvian is quick to point out, that most uncharted of territories is also the least protected. Because we cannot see it, because we're unaware of what is there, she argues, we cannot understand or care about the irreparable damage we are causing. When tropical reefs disappear, it's easy to see the effects our boats, trash and pollution have and to act accordingly. When deep-sea reefs disappear, only a handful of specialized scientists realize what that means.

Early on, Nouvian includes a telling quote by deep-sea explorer Robert Ballard (of Titanic-discovery fame): "At a time when most think of outer space as the final frontier, we must remember that a great deal of unfinished business remains here on Earth." The Deep highlights just how accurate that outlook is.—Abby Seiff

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13 Comments

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popsci

05/17/07 at 7:52 am

The University of Chicago Press has a website for the book that includes a Flash video, a gallery of photos, and information about the book and the author, including an author interview. See http://www.thedeepbook.org/

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popsci

05/17/07 at 7:58 pm

wow that is truly amazing.
i have never seen anything so awesome as that.

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popsci

05/17/07 at 7:58 pm

wow that is truly amazing.
i have never seen anything so awesome as that.

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:04 am

This is the worst article ever, even tho i didnt read it, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:08 am

yeah i think so to and you need to put some games on your web site

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:12 am

idk wat to say and i dont care but gosh darnit im gonna say somethin!

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:15 am

so wat are you doing bob, im typing, bob, i like saying bob....bobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobobob..... lol this is so much fun!!bye boboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboboobobobobobobobobob!!!

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:17 am

Hi bob, this is the bob who you are talking to. At least i think u r talking to me. If ur not u realy should it is a very very very very very very very very good idea i like saying bobobobobobobobobobob too its the best thing in the world. besides the pickles that are grow without pesticides. u can buy them at the grocery store for only $6.99
WAT A BARGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:19 am

hi bob, this is bob again, did you know that i went to nofrills yesterday and i got some pickles for only 3 dollars, that thats a bargain. one time i went around on my peddle bike and i saw a chicken, so i killed it with my paint ball gun. any way, by bob, have a good day!!!

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:22 am

hi bob this is bob responding to ur most interesting comment. only 3 dollars for pickles?!?!?!!?!??!!? IS THAT LEGAL!!!
are u sure they were grown without pesticides?
anyway about the chicken do u think u could cook it for me and send it in the mail to my house which is really big and has a yellow roof without shingles on it. anyways check on the pickles u just bought if they turn yellow in a few days then the are not grown with pesticides and it really was a bargain.

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:23 am

hey bob, i wont forget, the chicken is sitting in the ashes of my fire cooking rite now...are u sure you live one that road????, i only saw a green house, a red house, a pink house, and a purple house, but no yellow house...maybe thats because im coulor blind, lol. well i went to the store to check the pickles and guess wat they werent even pickles, the grocery store was messing up my mind and sold me pizza , so i bot rootbeer and watched a movie. well bye bob

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popsci

05/22/07 at 8:32 am

not pickles?!?!?!?! u should sue! grocerey stores should be forced to sell ppl wat they think they are buying or else the entire economy could fall into ruins. if u want to sue go to www.sueu2.com u can sue pretty much anyone for any reason with no questions asked. and wat movie did u go to see? was it shrek or spiderman or something else? btw if u see a cow fly by it is probably mine i lost it while i was illegaly breeding supercows(dont tell anyone) so if u see one send it over in this general direction and hopefully i will find it. If i do i will send u part of it as a gift because i know it taste awesome. also ty for the chicken it was delicious but i think it was an illegal immigrant because i couldnt find a passport.

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popsci

05/24/07 at 4:00 am

Why is it that most deep-sea creatures are ugly?