Endless Novelties of Extraordinary Interest: The Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger and the Birth of Modern Oceanography

by Doug Macdougall

A gripping tale of exploration aboard H.M.S. Challenger , an expedition that laid the foundations for modern oceanography
 
From late 1872 to 1876, H.M.S. Challenger explored the world’s oceans. Conducting deep sea soundings, dredging the ocean floor, recording temperatures, observing weather, and collecting biological samples, the expedition laid the foundations for modern oceanography. Following the ship’s naturalists and their discoveries, earth scientist Doug Macdougall engagingly tells a story of Victorian-era adventure and ties these early explorations to the growth of modern scientific fields.
 
In this lively story of discovery, hardship, and humor, Macdougall examines the work of the expedition’s scientists, especially the naturalist Henry Moseley, who rigorously categorized the flora and fauna of the islands the ship visited, and the legacy of John Murray, considered the father of modern oceanography. Macdougall explores not just the expedition itself but also the iconic place that H.M.S. Challenger has achieved in the annals of ocean exploration and science.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, History, Audiobook, History Of Science, Evolution

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 20, 2019

About the author

Doug Macdougall is a former Professor of Earth Sciences (now Emeritus) at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. Born in Toronto, he currently resides in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Reviews

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written. It shows what must've been very meticulous research into Challenger's logs and publications on their discoveries. All of extraordinary interest, indeed! As a geology student and aspiring oceanographer, this retelling of Challenger's voyage has reawakened my sense of wonder.

I only wish the accounts of the Challenger Deep soundings were included.

[Martin Oetiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I've just finished reading this book and I really enjoyed it in so many different ways.
The Challenger Expedition was a great adventure & achievement in its own right, but Doug MacDougall's account is a masterpiece. Well researched & brilliantly written, it talks not only about the journey itself, but also the scientific discoveries made, the scientists & crew involved and the enduring legacy of this expedition. It was a great collaborative scientific endeavour, funded by the government and supported by the Royal Navy, it captured the imagination of the public and founded the new science of oceanography. In some ways similar to the Apollo Space program it explored new frontiers and laid the foundations for many later discoveries including plate tectonics, climate change & the importance of the oceans in maintaining the planet's biodiversity. I thought the narrator was excellent too - softly spoken and well paced.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the sea, the history of science or tales of exploration. I will definitely be reading more of this authors books including Frozen Earth, Nature's Clocks, A Short History of Planet Earth & Why Geology Matters.

[Christopher D · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this book. Most of what I read in this time period or earlier is written linearly by Royal Navy officers following a chronological time line.

This book jumps around a lot. I'm making an assumption here but I felt like the writer is a natural scientist rather than a historian. Thats not to say I didn't learn anything or that the book was bad I just felt like I wanted a story of a voyage and got a lot of scientific anecdotes that were interesting but disjointed.

I will recommend this book but if your reading a lot of books by historians this may be difficult to get through.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a linear tale of H.M.S. Challenger's voyage. Rather, it weaves the story of the voyage with explanations of how the discoveries that were made, and the new questions that arose as a result, lead to further advances and investigations in oceanography that are still being felt in modern times. This was a fascinating look at a landmark scientific undertaking and how its impact has rippled across 150 years of science.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read about the important Challenger voyage. This book awakened the little girl in me who would spend hours looking at pictures of wild sea creatures and who wanted to be a marine biologist when she grew up. I learned about fantastic things with great names like "cosmic spherules", "globigerina ooze", and "the Theory of Abyssal Light."

[The Inquisitive Biologist · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wondrous journey of discovery, Endless Novelties of Extraordinary Interest explores the many scientific findings of the expedition that birthed modern oceanography. Read my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2023...

[Victoria Pena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Journey of Discovery and Wonder,
Doug Macdougall brings the Challenger expedition to life with breathtaking clarity and heart. Every page captures the courage, curiosity, and wonder of those who ventured into the unknown. Endless Novelties of Extraordinary Interest is more than history, it’s a celebration of the human spirit of exploration.

[Elizabeth Rains · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book follows an 1870s scientific expedition on the high seas. Some of it was very interesting. Other parts could have been condensed. I believe the author must have been using everything he could find in diaries and logbooks.

[Michelle Bizzell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was very dry for having such an interesting topic as a Victorian expedition around the world to study the ocean and remote islands.

[Giselle]

DNF'd 19%

[Davina Gifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable! Not as dry as I thought it was going to be.

A comprehensive look at the expedition and it's legacy.

[Gian Piero Santini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and thorough report of the Challenger three-year voyage and the beginning of Oceanography

[Kathryn Ovenden · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit flip floppy - hard to hold attention. Impressive innovation

[Cel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragged on a bit at parts and probably could have been a bit more condensed but an enjoyable read. Learned all about a voyage I'd never heard of before.