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Saltwater
A Natural History of the Sea
Brief Description
We came from the sea. From tidal estuaries to tropical reefs, saltwater has been central to evolution; the amniotic fluid of life itself. Vestiges of our salty origins can be found in the physiological makeup of land dwellers today, and marine chemistry still defines the boundaries...
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See moreFrom sunlit shallows to the abyssal zone, this is a deep dive into the mysteries of saltwater and its majestic inhabitants.
From sunlit shallows to the abyssal zone, this is a deep dive into the mysteries of saltwater and its majestic inhabitants.
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Description
We came from the sea.
From tidal estuaries to tropical reefs, saltwater has been central to evolution; the amniotic fluid of life itself. Vestiges of our salty origins can be found in the physiological makeup of land dwellers today, and marine chemistry still defines the boundaries of existence for most aquatic animals. But even as we rely upon the sea's life-giving properties, we have failed to protect it.
Saltwater brings readers face to face with the secrets of the marine realm, revealing massive sperm whales, delicate dumbo octopuses, nightmarish viperfish, and even the ocean's own version of the northern lights: a shimmering bioluminescent display that illuminates the darkest fathoms.
It examines humanity's eternal connection with the oceans, from ancient fishing traditions to the devastating legacy of industrial whaling. And it shows how today, even as the ocean bears the scars of overfishing, pollution, and climate change, this damage may yet be reversed through cutting-edge science and strategic conservation.
Elegant, deeply researched, and ultimately galvanising, Saltwater is a paradigm-shifting look at how saltwater life shapes our world.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781786582980
Publisher: Bonnier Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 12 November 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Bonnier Books Ltd
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 153.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 480
About the Author
Born and once more based in Yorkshire, Dr. Ashley Ward is Professor Emeritus of Biology at the University of Sydney, Australia one of the world's pre-eminent faculties for Marine Biology. For many years he ran the Animal Behaviour Lab, spanning sites worldwide from One Tree Island on the Great Barrier Reef to the estuaries of Lincolnshire. An expert in ocean creatures from tiny Antarctic krill to the whales that eat them, he is the author of The Social Lives of Animals and Sensational.
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