The Underworld

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Casey, an awe-inspiring portrait of the mysterious world deep beneath the seas, and the men and women who seek to uncover its secrets For all of human history, the deep ocean has been a source of terror and wonder, an unknown realm of fiendish creatures and deadly peril. Not until very recently did the technology exist to explore the ocean's depths, and we still know vastly more about the universe than we do about the realms the encompass 75% of the Earth and 99% of its life. Now cutting-edge submersibles allow scientists and explorers to dive down miles below the surface. We are just beginning to understand this strange and exotic world, a place where life began in superheated volcanic vents, and which houses otherworldly creatures who life in total darkness under crushing pressure. Susan Casey is our premier chronicler of the aquatic world. For THE UNDERWORLD she traversed the globe, diving with fearless scientists to the deepest places on the planet, interviewing the marine biologists, geologists, environmental scientists and adventurers who are bringing us knowledge of this unseen world. Through her unique and lyrical form of participatory journalism Casey brings us a first-hand picture of the wonder and beauty of the deep. She gives us a fascinating history of oceanic exploration, from the myths and legends of the ancient world, to storied shipwrecks we can now reach on the bottom, to the first intrepid submarine and bathysphere pilots, to the biologists who are just beginning to understand the mind-blowing complexity and ecological importance of the quadrillions of creatures who live in realms long thought to be devoid of life. The more she learned the more she saw how vital the deep is to the future of the planet, and how much of a threat its under from mining and oil companies who are also exploring its depths. THE UNDERWORLD is Susan Casey's most beautiful and thrilling book yet, a gorgeous evocation of the natural world and a powerful call to arms.