Search results for ""author ellen prager""

"Chasing Science at Sea" immerses readers in the world of those who regularly go to sea - aquanauts living underwater, marine biologists seeking unseen life in the deep ocean, and tall-ship captains at the helm, among others - and tells the fascinating tale of what life, and science, is like at the mercy of Mother Nature. With passion and wit, well-known marine scientist Ellen Prager shares her stories as well as those of her colleagues, revealing that in the field ingenuity and a good sense of humor are as essential as water, sunblock, and GPS. Filled with firsthand accounts of the challenges and triumphs of dealing with the extreme forces of nature and the unpredictable world of the ocean, "Chasing Science at Sea" is a unique glimpse below the waterline at what it is like - and why it is important - to study, explore, and spend time in one of our planet's most fascinating and foreign environments.

Read more less

Before she died, Ezzy Skylar's mother made Ezzy's father promise to take his two children on trips to some of the world's most exotic places, starting with the GalÁpgos Islands. There's just one problem: while her little brother Luke is in animal heaven, Ezzy has a paralyzing fear of wild animals. That's why she's aboard the cruise vessel when hijackers take over. Forced to find depths of bravery she never knew she had, Ezzy has to flee across an island with her brother and seek to rescue a ship full of tourists under siege.

Read more less

Invited to the world’s only undersea research station, Ezzy, Luke, and their father head to the Florida Keys and dive into an unexpected adventure. While visiting their ex-military friends in the Aquarius Sea Station, Ezzy and Luke encounter a strange algae bloom at the surface, giant goliath groupers, and a mysterious fish that threatens the coral reefs and their own safety. It’s another wild ride filled with humor and action as Ezzy Skylar explores the depths of her courage while overcoming her insecurities. With new friends, she and Luke discover the wonders of the undersea world and what it is like to live underwater. But once again they unwittingly stumble into a plot that could have disastrous consequences for the local wildlife and must jump into action to save the day.

Read more less

When viewed from a quiet beach, the ocean, with its rolling waves and vast expanse, can seem calm, even serene. But hidden beneath the sea's waves are a staggering abundance and variety of active creatures, engaged in the never-ending struggles of life-to reproduce, to eat, and to avoid being eaten. With "Sex, Drugs, and Sea Slime", marine scientist Ellen Prager takes us deep into the sea to introduce an astonishing cast of fascinating and bizarre creatures that make the salty depths their home. From the tiny but voracious arrow worms whose rapacious ways may lead to death by overeating, to the lobsters that battle rivals or seduce mates with their urine, to the sea's masters of disguise, the octopuses, Prager not only brings to life the ocean's strange creatures but also reveals the ways they interact as predators, prey, or potential mates. And while these animals make for some jaw-dropping stories-witness the sea cucumber, which ejects its own intestines to confuse predators, or the hagfish that ties itself into a knot to keep from suffocating in its own slime-there's far more to Prager's account than her ever-entertaining anecdotes: again and again, she illustrates the crucial connections between life in the ocean and humankind, in everything from our food supply to our economy, and in drug discovery, biomedical research, and popular culture. Written with a diver's love of the ocean, a novelist's skill at storytelling, and a scientist's deep knowledge, "Sex, Drugs, and Sea Slime" enchants as it educates, enthralling us with the wealth of life in the sea-and reminding us of the need to protect it.

Read more less

The Earth is a beautiful and wondrous planet, but also frustratingly complex and, at times, violent: much of what has made it livable can also cause catastrophe. Volcanic eruptions create land and produce fertile, nutrient-rich soil, but they can also bury forests, fields, and entire towns under ash, mud, lava, and debris. The very forces that create and recycle Earth's crust also spawn destructive earthquakes and tsunamis. Water and wind bring and spread life, but in hurricanes they can leave devastation in their wake. And while it is the planet's warmth that enables life to thrive, rapidly increasing temperatures are causing sea levels to rise and weather events to become more extreme. Today, we know more than ever before about the powerful forces that can cause catastrophe, but significant questions remain. Why can't we better predict some natural disasters? What do scientists know about them already? What do they wish they knew? In Dangerous Earth, marine scientist and science communicator Ellen Prager explores the science of investigating volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, rip currents, and--maybe the most perilous hazard of all--climate change. Each chapter considers a specific hazard, begins with a game-changing historical event (like the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens or the landfall and impacts of Hurricane Harvey), and highlights what remains unknown about these dynamic phenomena. Along the way, we hear from scientists trying to read Earth's warning signs, pass its messages along to the rest of us, and prevent catastrophic loss. A sweeping tour of some of the most awesome forces on our planet--many tragic, yet nonetheless awe-inspiring--Dangerous Earth is an illuminating journey through the undiscovered, unresolved, and in some cases unimagined mysteries that continue to frustrate and fascinate the world's leading scientists: the "wish-we-knews" that ignite both our curiosity and global change.

Read more less

Ezzy Skylar has inherited some of her geologist mother's daring along with her collection of special scarves. Now, along with her surgeon father and ten-year-old brother Luke, she has embarked on a trip to Greenland's Kangia Icefjord. But something isn't right.

Read more less

When viewed from a quiet beach, the ocean, with its rolling waves and vast expanse, can seem calm, even serene. But hidden beneath the sea's waves are a staggering abundance and variety of active creatures, engaged in the never-ending struggles of life - to reproduce, to eat, and to avoid being eaten. With "Sex, Drugs, and Sea Slime", marine scientist Ellen Prager takes us deep into the sea to introduce an astonishing cast of fascinating and bizarre creatures that make the salty depths their home. From the tiny but voracious arrow worms whose rapacious ways may lead to death by overeating, to the lobsters that battle rivals or seduce mates with their urine, to the sea's masters of disguise, the octopuses, Prager not only brings to life the ocean's strange creatures, but also reveals the ways they interact as predators, prey, or potential mates. And while these animals make for some jaw-dropping stories - witness the sea cucumber, which ejects its own intestines to confuse predators, or the hagfish that ties itself into a knot to keep from suffocating in its own slime - there's far more to Prager's account than her ever-entertaining anecdotes: again and again, she illustrates the crucial connections between life in the ocean and humankind, in everything from our food supply to our economy, and in drug discovery, biomedical research, and popular culture. Written with a diver's love of the ocean, a novelist's skill at storytelling, and a scientist's deep knowledge, "Sex, Drugs, and Sea Slime" enchants as it educates, enthralling us with the wealth of life in the sea - and reminding us of the need to protect it.

Read more less