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Below the Edge of Darkness: A Memoir of Exploring Light and Life in the Deep Sea
A pioneering marine biologist takes us down into the deep ocean to understand bioluminescence—the language of light that helps life communicate in the darkness—and what it tells us about the future of life on Earth.
Edith Widder's childhood dream of becoming a marine biologist was almost derailed in college, when complications from a surgery gone wrong caused temporary blindness. A new reality of shifting shadows drew her fascination to the power of light—as well as the importance of optimism.
As her vision cleared, Widder found the intersection of her two passions in oceanic bioluminescence, a little-explored scientific field within Earth's last great unknown frontier: the deep ocean. With little promise of funding or employment, she leaped at the first opportunity to train as a submersible pilot and dove into the darkness.
Widder's first journey into the deep ocean, in a diving suit that resembled a suit of armor, took her to a depth of eight hundred feet. She turned off the lights and witnessed breathtaking underwater fireworks: explosions of bioluminescent activity. Concerns about her future career vanished. She only wanted to know one thing: Why was there so much light down there?
Below the Edge of Darkness takes readers deep into our planet's oceans as Widder pursues her questions about one of the most important and widely used forms of communication in nature. In the process, she reveals hidden worlds and a dazzling menagerie of behaviors and animals, from microbes to leviathans, many never before seen or, like the legendary giant squid, never before filmed in their deep-sea lairs. Alongside Widder, we experience life-and-death equipment malfunctions and witness breakthroughs in technology and understanding, all set against a growing awareness of the deteriorating health of our largest and least understood ecosystem.
A thrilling adventure story as well as a scientific revelation, Below the Edge of Darkness reckons with the complicated and sometimes dangerous realities of exploration. Widder shows us how when we push our boundaries and expand our worlds, discovery and wonder follow. These are the ultimate keys to the ocean's salvation—and thus to our future on this planet.
Edith Widder's childhood dream of becoming a marine biologist was almost derailed in college, when complications from a surgery gone wrong caused temporary blindness. A new reality of shifting shadows drew her fascination to the power of light—as well as the importance of optimism.
As her vision cleared, Widder found the intersection of her two passions in oceanic bioluminescence, a little-explored scientific field within Earth's last great unknown frontier: the deep ocean. With little promise of funding or employment, she leaped at the first opportunity to train as a submersible pilot and dove into the darkness.
Widder's first journey into the deep ocean, in a diving suit that resembled a suit of armor, took her to a depth of eight hundred feet. She turned off the lights and witnessed breathtaking underwater fireworks: explosions of bioluminescent activity. Concerns about her future career vanished. She only wanted to know one thing: Why was there so much light down there?
Below the Edge of Darkness takes readers deep into our planet's oceans as Widder pursues her questions about one of the most important and widely used forms of communication in nature. In the process, she reveals hidden worlds and a dazzling menagerie of behaviors and animals, from microbes to leviathans, many never before seen or, like the legendary giant squid, never before filmed in their deep-sea lairs. Alongside Widder, we experience life-and-death equipment malfunctions and witness breakthroughs in technology and understanding, all set against a growing awareness of the deteriorating health of our largest and least understood ecosystem.
A thrilling adventure story as well as a scientific revelation, Below the Edge of Darkness reckons with the complicated and sometimes dangerous realities of exploration. Widder shows us how when we push our boundaries and expand our worlds, discovery and wonder follow. These are the ultimate keys to the ocean's salvation—and thus to our future on this planet.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 27, 2021
216 people are currently reading
6920 people want to read
About the author
Edith Widder
3 books25 followersEdith Anne "Edie" Widder Smith is an oceanographer, marine biologist, author and the Co-founder, CEO and Senior Scientist at the Ocean Research & Conservation Association.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
August 31, 2021
I had high hopes for this one, but ultimately it fell far short of my expectations.
This is a memoir by marine biologist Edith Widder. When she was in college, she had a terrifying experience; She was temporarily blinded after a risky surgery that nearly killed her. She uses this anecdote at the beginning of "Below the Edge of Darkness" to talk about eyes, eyesight, and the relationship both share with light, something that would become critically important later in her career as she began to focus on studying bioluminescence - or "living light" - in the deep sea.
We landlubbers can see bioluminescence on summer evenings in the flicker of fireflies, but it's much more common in the ocean. It's not the kind of light that generates heat, it's a chemical light that creatures have developed for a variety of reasons, many of which we're still uncovering. It's been a part of Widder's work to discover why these creatures make light - a very energy-intense adaptation - and what certain flashes mean.
In this memoir, Widder talks about her work and the trajectory of her career after her brief brush with blindness, including capturing a giant squid on camera in its natural habitat. It's all incredibly interesting information. The problem is that it's extremely heavy on the science and hops back and forth between academic writing and overly casual writing about her experiences. As such, I don't think this is a book for general audiences.
I think it also has weaknesses as a completed product since that anecdote about her temporary blindness is one of the only things about her personal life included in the book - making it stick out in a sea of stories about her career - but it's also not really commented upon after it's discussed at the start of the book, which ultimately became the thing that disappointed me the most.
I came into this book looking for some fascinating science - which I got, albeit in language above what I expected in a non-academic book - but I also figured the experience of losing her sight would inspire Widder to make some connections to her work. It seemed like fertile ground for her to dig deep into what the blindness meant to her and how it inspired her to seek light in the deep sea, but instead, she kept everything very surface-level. I'm heartbroken to think of what a gorgeous work this could have been had she used her background, her career, and her clearly amazing perspective and presented it with more emotion and more elegant prose.
I thought this was going to be a new favorite, but I remain on the hunt for the next science/nature memoir that will strike the same chord as Lab Girl.
This is a memoir by marine biologist Edith Widder. When she was in college, she had a terrifying experience; She was temporarily blinded after a risky surgery that nearly killed her. She uses this anecdote at the beginning of "Below the Edge of Darkness" to talk about eyes, eyesight, and the relationship both share with light, something that would become critically important later in her career as she began to focus on studying bioluminescence - or "living light" - in the deep sea.
We landlubbers can see bioluminescence on summer evenings in the flicker of fireflies, but it's much more common in the ocean. It's not the kind of light that generates heat, it's a chemical light that creatures have developed for a variety of reasons, many of which we're still uncovering. It's been a part of Widder's work to discover why these creatures make light - a very energy-intense adaptation - and what certain flashes mean.
In this memoir, Widder talks about her work and the trajectory of her career after her brief brush with blindness, including capturing a giant squid on camera in its natural habitat. It's all incredibly interesting information. The problem is that it's extremely heavy on the science and hops back and forth between academic writing and overly casual writing about her experiences. As such, I don't think this is a book for general audiences.
I think it also has weaknesses as a completed product since that anecdote about her temporary blindness is one of the only things about her personal life included in the book - making it stick out in a sea of stories about her career - but it's also not really commented upon after it's discussed at the start of the book, which ultimately became the thing that disappointed me the most.
I came into this book looking for some fascinating science - which I got, albeit in language above what I expected in a non-academic book - but I also figured the experience of losing her sight would inspire Widder to make some connections to her work. It seemed like fertile ground for her to dig deep into what the blindness meant to her and how it inspired her to seek light in the deep sea, but instead, she kept everything very surface-level. I'm heartbroken to think of what a gorgeous work this could have been had she used her background, her career, and her clearly amazing perspective and presented it with more emotion and more elegant prose.
I thought this was going to be a new favorite, but I remain on the hunt for the next science/nature memoir that will strike the same chord as Lab Girl.
March 5, 2023
Marine biologist and oceanographer Edith Widder is a pioneer and expert in marine bioluminescence. Below The Edge of Darkness is Dr. Widder’s memoir as a scientist. I've learned a lot about the author, deep sea creatures, and the bioluminescence in the ocean from the book. The idea that this memoir has little to do with her as a person is laughable. Dr. Widder is first and foremost a scientist, as she has made abundantly clear. It is true that you won’t find what she does in the bedroom or eats for dinner, but her character–resilience, courage, resourcefulness, scientific curiosity and optimism, and her love for marine creatures (and her husband), is obvious on every page.
Dr. Widder is a major contributor in finding and filming the giant squids in their natural habitat. Who knew optical lure is the best lure to attract these shy creatures! They are not monsters and we must not demonize them, Dr. Widder says. The sex life of angler fish is fascinating.
The need to observe animals in their natural habitat unobtrusively, in Dr. Widder’s case, to observe animals in the dark, deep ocean by staying still and without turning on lights, echoes many examples Ed Yong wrote in his book, An Immerse World . We share the earth with all other animals and plants. The biosphere is a fragile web. Our unchecked exploitation will eventually bring downfall to our own species.
It makes me smile when a female scientist says finding a supportive spouse is the best career advice.
Dr. Widder also touches on the topic of how to communicate science with the general public. The Internet and social media have broadened the reach of not only scientific knowledge but also misinformation. I remember Mermaids: The Body Found, the infamous movie styled as a documentary and aired on Discovery Channel. Millions of viewers were fooled and their trust for science was damaged.
In the epilogue, Dr. Widder argues for optimism in the era of man-made Climate Change: swap exasperation for inspiration; preparing for the worst but expecting the best.
Dr. Widder is a major contributor in finding and filming the giant squids in their natural habitat. Who knew optical lure is the best lure to attract these shy creatures! They are not monsters and we must not demonize them, Dr. Widder says. The sex life of angler fish is fascinating.
The need to observe animals in their natural habitat unobtrusively, in Dr. Widder’s case, to observe animals in the dark, deep ocean by staying still and without turning on lights, echoes many examples Ed Yong wrote in his book, An Immerse World . We share the earth with all other animals and plants. The biosphere is a fragile web. Our unchecked exploitation will eventually bring downfall to our own species.
It makes me smile when a female scientist says finding a supportive spouse is the best career advice.
Dr. Widder also touches on the topic of how to communicate science with the general public. The Internet and social media have broadened the reach of not only scientific knowledge but also misinformation. I remember Mermaids: The Body Found, the infamous movie styled as a documentary and aired on Discovery Channel. Millions of viewers were fooled and their trust for science was damaged.
In the epilogue, Dr. Widder argues for optimism in the era of man-made Climate Change: swap exasperation for inspiration; preparing for the worst but expecting the best.
Read
August 29, 2021It is a good memoir and in another time I would read every word. Now is not that time. Extremely graduate level physics, math, criteria of visual sciences amongst 100 other pertinent to the deep sea territory sciences. This is NOT easy read.
I do appreciate the author's honesty and blunt obsession. But it's all too much of that obsession for me. Her early medical crisis near death experience (NDE) was somewhat similar to mine at 26. But she (at 18) reflects it entirely differently.
Very brave and courageous woman. That's a fact.
I read more than 3/4ths of this but no rating. Obsessions are not a meld with me. It would be 3 stars at the most if I did. This is not a read for the non-math individual or for those who can't parse light sciences. Your eyes will glass over.
If you enjoy preach/teach - then for you it will be a 4 star most likely.
It is often depressing and at the same quirk unrealistically optimistic. She's got a huge association history too. Blue Planet and Fidel Castro included.
I do appreciate the author's honesty and blunt obsession. But it's all too much of that obsession for me. Her early medical crisis near death experience (NDE) was somewhat similar to mine at 26. But she (at 18) reflects it entirely differently.
Very brave and courageous woman. That's a fact.
I read more than 3/4ths of this but no rating. Obsessions are not a meld with me. It would be 3 stars at the most if I did. This is not a read for the non-math individual or for those who can't parse light sciences. Your eyes will glass over.
If you enjoy preach/teach - then for you it will be a 4 star most likely.
It is often depressing and at the same quirk unrealistically optimistic. She's got a huge association history too. Blue Planet and Fidel Castro included.
March 27, 2021
A magnificent memoir by ocean scientist Edith Widder, pioneer in the study of bioluminescence. Blinded during surgery, she recovers and finds light and life in the ocean depths, her discoveries essential to protecting global seas. Captivating, inspiring and a must-read for fans of brilliant women changing the world.
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 27 Jul 2021
#BelowtheEdgeofDarkness #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 27 Jul 2021
#BelowtheEdgeofDarkness #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
January 11, 2022
I came across mention of this book in a New Yorker article, as I recall. I thought it might be interesting so I got it from the library. "Interesting" is definitely an understatement. I liked this book a lot. Widder is like that really smart, cool, funny scientist friend (think Mark Watney from The Martian) who invites you to accompany her on a field trip to some exotic place so you can see what she does. What she does is nothing short of amazing. She's an expert on bioluminescence in the ocean (sea creatures that glow). The book is partly memoir, beginning with her almost dying in college, and moving on through her education and experience in deep sea research. It's also a fascinating, completely accessible look at what lives down there, what the biology and chemistry of life in the deep sea involves and suggests about how sea life evolved into what it is today, the hurdles (financial, engineering, technological, psychological) that must be overcome to do the research, what it all tells us about the degradation of what is by far the largest part of our planet, and so very much more. And the thing is, she engages the reader exactly as she a non-scientifically minded friend, indeed, as she does in her TED talks, which I was compelled watched because the book was so wonderful -- check them out even if you don't read the book).
I had no idea how common bioluminescence is in the sea, particularly in mid-level depths. (One scientist found that more than 90% of the fish he collected while researching sea life off Bermuda were bioluminescent!) Widder explains why this is so, and why at this level of the ocean rather than further up or further down. She shares stories about what she found in the ocean and what was involved in getting there. Her love for her subject -- her enthusiasm -- is contagious. You share her awe at what she sees (thank goodness for the photos at the end of the book and for what comes up when you Google her name), as well as her frustration at, well, the things that justifiably frustrate her.
Rather than describing in detail what "Below the Edge of Darkness" covers, let me share some of what I highlighted (which was a lot!). For example (deep inhalation): The amazing lifeforms she encounters, like: the bioluminescent bristlemouth fish (the most abundant vertebrate on Earth); bright red shrimp the size of hamsters; saber-toothed viperfish (which she admires for its "badassery" and because it glows not only on its 'face' but also in its mouth); the anglerfish that, well, bear with me, I've got to share a whole paragraph here:
The male anglerfish is much smaller than his female counterpart. He lacks a lure and has no teeth for consuming prey. For many anglerfish species, the male’s only hope for continued existence is as a gigolo. In the unimaginably immense black void of the deep sea, he must somehow locate a potential mate, either visually or by smell, and, upon finding her, seal the relationship with an eternal kiss by latching on to her flank, where his flesh fuses with hers. Her bloodstream then grows into his body, providing him with sustenance, in return for which he provides sperm upon demand. This lifetime commitment may sound romantic, but it’s not all hearts, flowers, and pillow talk. He’s a bloodsucker and a sperm bag, and she’s ugly and weighs half a million times more than he does.
and creatures with names like: cockeyed squid, bearded seadevil, shining tubeshoulder, stoplight fish, velvet belly lantern shark, gulper eel, glowing sucker 0ctopus
(sorry, got to share again: Many octopods seduce mates by throwing their arms up over their heads and displaying their suckers as if they were in a wet T-shirt contest: “Hey! Look what I’ve got!” Under such circumstances, it makes sense that sexual selection would favor mutations that made the suckers more visible.)
brownsnout spookfish ("Middle school must have been hell," Widder says of the name. It's quite an astonishing creature: big head, four protruding eyes, black body, transparent head -- yeah, it's weird down there), squat lobsters, (I pause here to acknowledge the existence of "marine snow," glowing "marine fecal pellets," and underwater lakes), Greenland sharks (which can grow up to twenty-four feet long), giant squids (reaches lengths of at least forty-three feet, and its eyes are bigger than basketballs!)), floppy sea pens, giant jellies ("believed to be the longest ocean creature ever recorded, at 150 feet long), and, yes, Kraken because, well, Kraken.
For all the humor and Holy Cow! excitement, Widder has a very serious purpose in the book. Her goal is not only to share what she's learned about all these exotic life forms, but also to show what's at stake because we so callously exploit the oceans even though we know so terribly little about it, and act as if there are no costs attached to our ignorance. Overfishing, chemical runoff, our addiction to plastic ("It is estimated that by the year 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish.") And "entertainment" like the ubiquitous and misleading Shark Weeks on TV. (These descendants of "Jaws" make us terrified of sharks, but typically only 10 or so people die each year from shark attacks. On the other side of the ledger, commercial fishing by humans kills an estimated 100 million sharks each year!) And then there's time Animal Planet ran a show called "Mermaids: The Body Found," which "purported to uncover a plot by the government to conceal evidence of mermaids." Deliberately made to look like a nature documentary, it was entirely fake -- actors, CGI, pointless DOJ logo, a fake government whistleblower, even a fake web page pop up that would appear if you Googled the whistleblower's name.
This is longer than I intended so I'll stop here. It's one of the best "nature" books I've ever read. Widder's personal story is remarkable, the science is astonishing, and it's about a topic that couldn't be more important to our future. Check it out.
I had no idea how common bioluminescence is in the sea, particularly in mid-level depths. (One scientist found that more than 90% of the fish he collected while researching sea life off Bermuda were bioluminescent!) Widder explains why this is so, and why at this level of the ocean rather than further up or further down. She shares stories about what she found in the ocean and what was involved in getting there. Her love for her subject -- her enthusiasm -- is contagious. You share her awe at what she sees (thank goodness for the photos at the end of the book and for what comes up when you Google her name), as well as her frustration at, well, the things that justifiably frustrate her.
Rather than describing in detail what "Below the Edge of Darkness" covers, let me share some of what I highlighted (which was a lot!). For example (deep inhalation): The amazing lifeforms she encounters, like: the bioluminescent bristlemouth fish (the most abundant vertebrate on Earth); bright red shrimp the size of hamsters; saber-toothed viperfish (which she admires for its "badassery" and because it glows not only on its 'face' but also in its mouth); the anglerfish that, well, bear with me, I've got to share a whole paragraph here:
The male anglerfish is much smaller than his female counterpart. He lacks a lure and has no teeth for consuming prey. For many anglerfish species, the male’s only hope for continued existence is as a gigolo. In the unimaginably immense black void of the deep sea, he must somehow locate a potential mate, either visually or by smell, and, upon finding her, seal the relationship with an eternal kiss by latching on to her flank, where his flesh fuses with hers. Her bloodstream then grows into his body, providing him with sustenance, in return for which he provides sperm upon demand. This lifetime commitment may sound romantic, but it’s not all hearts, flowers, and pillow talk. He’s a bloodsucker and a sperm bag, and she’s ugly and weighs half a million times more than he does.
and creatures with names like: cockeyed squid, bearded seadevil, shining tubeshoulder, stoplight fish, velvet belly lantern shark, gulper eel, glowing sucker 0ctopus
(sorry, got to share again: Many octopods seduce mates by throwing their arms up over their heads and displaying their suckers as if they were in a wet T-shirt contest: “Hey! Look what I’ve got!” Under such circumstances, it makes sense that sexual selection would favor mutations that made the suckers more visible.)
brownsnout spookfish ("Middle school must have been hell," Widder says of the name. It's quite an astonishing creature: big head, four protruding eyes, black body, transparent head -- yeah, it's weird down there), squat lobsters, (I pause here to acknowledge the existence of "marine snow," glowing "marine fecal pellets," and underwater lakes), Greenland sharks (which can grow up to twenty-four feet long), giant squids (reaches lengths of at least forty-three feet, and its eyes are bigger than basketballs!)), floppy sea pens, giant jellies ("believed to be the longest ocean creature ever recorded, at 150 feet long), and, yes, Kraken because, well, Kraken.
For all the humor and Holy Cow! excitement, Widder has a very serious purpose in the book. Her goal is not only to share what she's learned about all these exotic life forms, but also to show what's at stake because we so callously exploit the oceans even though we know so terribly little about it, and act as if there are no costs attached to our ignorance. Overfishing, chemical runoff, our addiction to plastic ("It is estimated that by the year 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish.") And "entertainment" like the ubiquitous and misleading Shark Weeks on TV. (These descendants of "Jaws" make us terrified of sharks, but typically only 10 or so people die each year from shark attacks. On the other side of the ledger, commercial fishing by humans kills an estimated 100 million sharks each year!) And then there's time Animal Planet ran a show called "Mermaids: The Body Found," which "purported to uncover a plot by the government to conceal evidence of mermaids." Deliberately made to look like a nature documentary, it was entirely fake -- actors, CGI, pointless DOJ logo, a fake government whistleblower, even a fake web page pop up that would appear if you Googled the whistleblower's name.
This is longer than I intended so I'll stop here. It's one of the best "nature" books I've ever read. Widder's personal story is remarkable, the science is astonishing, and it's about a topic that couldn't be more important to our future. Check it out.
September 3, 2021
This book is my jam. Mind blowing details. Crazy adventures. Frontiers of scientific exploration.
The ocean is ~70% of the Earth's surface, but it is ~99% of the biosphere. This whole topside atmospheric place we call home is less than 1% of where all known life in the Universe is. Yet we know next to nothing about that life because the vast majority of it is deeper than we tend to look and in a dark inhospitable place where the act of observing is both incredibly challenging and makes the life scatter to avoid the observations.
We've barely even got decent maps of most of the ocean (the vast majority is super low resolution) and have probably physically visited (in person or with remote probes) more of the moon than this part of our planet. Most of what we know about marine life is limited to what was gleaned from examining dead samples that made it to the surface. We couldn't just observe in vivo like we can with the terrestrial flora and fauna .
So Edie Widder back in the 60s pioneers the study of said life in its own environment using submersibles and she has pretty much (exactly?) been involved in every major advancement since then it seems, compiling a long list of exciting scientific and dangerous adventures along the way.
I'm not even going to go into the crazy cool things she's figured out about marine biology and ecology because you should just read the book.
Gendered terms aside, I feel compelled to end this review the same as the one for The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier which in a complementary way explores the unseen world on the ocean surface:
Author is obviously a stud.
The ocean is ~70% of the Earth's surface, but it is ~99% of the biosphere. This whole topside atmospheric place we call home is less than 1% of where all known life in the Universe is. Yet we know next to nothing about that life because the vast majority of it is deeper than we tend to look and in a dark inhospitable place where the act of observing is both incredibly challenging and makes the life scatter to avoid the observations.
We've barely even got decent maps of most of the ocean (the vast majority is super low resolution) and have probably physically visited (in person or with remote probes) more of the moon than this part of our planet. Most of what we know about marine life is limited to what was gleaned from examining dead samples that made it to the surface. We couldn't just observe in vivo like we can with the terrestrial flora and fauna .
So Edie Widder back in the 60s pioneers the study of said life in its own environment using submersibles and she has pretty much (exactly?) been involved in every major advancement since then it seems, compiling a long list of exciting scientific and dangerous adventures along the way.
I'm not even going to go into the crazy cool things she's figured out about marine biology and ecology because you should just read the book.
Gendered terms aside, I feel compelled to end this review the same as the one for The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier which in a complementary way explores the unseen world on the ocean surface:
Author is obviously a stud.
February 24, 2023
Marine biologist, Edith Widder, takes the reader on an exploratory journey into the darkest depths of the ocean to study bioluminescence. Widder's memoir does not dwell on personal issues but discusses her research on bioluminescent deep sea creatures. Widder explains the science very well - how light and eyes work, how bioluminescence is different from phosphorescence, animal behaviour, the different methods animals in the deep sea use to luminesce, and the various reasons they do so. A large portion of the text is dedicated to the various submersible dives and methods of attracting (e-jellyfish!) and capturing animals on camera where there is no light. This usually requires technological breakthrough or inventive fiddling with available equipment. The reader gets to tag along on the expedition that captured the giant squid on camera for the first time, various expeditions to study Humboldt squid and other luminescent animals, the expedition where the submersible started to leak, and the surprising discovery of glow-in-the-dark poop. This is ultimately a memoir that shows how this particular scientist went about doing research, the disappointments, and the discoveries. The book is extremely interesting and covers subjects I had wondered about or never thought about at all. Below the Edge of Darkness by Edith Widder makes a nice complementary book to The Brilliant Abyss by Helen Scales.
Extras:
https://ideas.ted.com/gallery-how-to-...
https://www.ted.com/talks/edith_widde...
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2...
https://e360.yale.edu/features/a-scie...
Extras:
https://ideas.ted.com/gallery-how-to-...
https://www.ted.com/talks/edith_widde...
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2...
https://e360.yale.edu/features/a-scie...
August 23, 2021
What a fantastic book about bioluminescent ocean animals and a woman scientist breaking barriers in a mostly male world. Part autobiography, part science the main focus is on the research and exploration of the ocean’s waters and bioluminescent animals in particular.
This is an exciting read with amazing discoveries (yes, the Kraken is real!), disparaging tv documentary teams (slanted science for ratings), and submersible mishaps (although most dives do go well). Widder’s research and how she goes about trying to capture the bioluminescent animals on film and study them in the wild are fascinating tales. The few mishaps that go awry lead to moments of intense reading. And don’t skip the footnotes! They are extra nuggets that usually contain a bit of a joke. I’m not sure when the last science book made me laugh this much.
The book did have message: we have barely explored the ocean waters, which do cover more surface of the earth than land, and we need to do more, much more. Widder juxtaposes ocean explorations and research to space exploration, which gets funding and attention on an extreme scale comparatively. We need to learn more about the animals and environment in the oceans before it’s too late. There’s some really neat stuff down there, we just need to find it!
Book rating: 4.5 stars
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.
This is an exciting read with amazing discoveries (yes, the Kraken is real!), disparaging tv documentary teams (slanted science for ratings), and submersible mishaps (although most dives do go well). Widder’s research and how she goes about trying to capture the bioluminescent animals on film and study them in the wild are fascinating tales. The few mishaps that go awry lead to moments of intense reading. And don’t skip the footnotes! They are extra nuggets that usually contain a bit of a joke. I’m not sure when the last science book made me laugh this much.
The book did have message: we have barely explored the ocean waters, which do cover more surface of the earth than land, and we need to do more, much more. Widder juxtaposes ocean explorations and research to space exploration, which gets funding and attention on an extreme scale comparatively. We need to learn more about the animals and environment in the oceans before it’s too late. There’s some really neat stuff down there, we just need to find it!
Book rating: 4.5 stars
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.
Read
August 27, 2021The following reviews have been shared by Text Publishing - publisher of Below the Edge of Darkness
‘Edith Widder’s subject is light itself—the manufacture of light by strange and eerie denizens of the deep sea—and her scintillating style is worthy of it…A book of marvels, marvellously written.’
Richard Dawkins
‘Edie’s story is one of hardscrabble optimism, two-fisted exploration and groundbreaking research. As I’ve said many times, I’d have wrapped my submersible, the Deepsea Challenger, in bacon if it would have lured the elusive giant squid from the depths. In Below the Edge of Darkness, Edie tells you how she did it.’
James Cameron
‘My experience of exploring the deep ocean and its alien life with Edie Widder was fabulous. She enthralls us with many such stories in her book. I recommend it.’
Ray Dalio
‘Personal and page-turning, adventurous and awe-inspiring, Below the Edge of Darkness sparkles with the thrill of exploration and glows with an urgent plea for the future of our precious seas. Comparisons to Jacques Cousteau spring to mind, as Edith Widder shares the profound journey of her life—one as unique and important as the unexplored realms of our very own planet.’
Juli Berwald, author of Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone
‘Luminous—the topic, the heroic journey, and the author herself. Dive in with Edith Widder, trail-blazing scientist and explorer, as she reveals the galaxy of light and life in the universe below the surface of the sea, out-shining sceptical male colleagues with dignity, grace and a robust sense of humour.’
Sylvia Earle, oceanographer, founder of Mission Blue and National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence
'Widder illuminates life in the dark depths of the ocean in her fascinating debut…Informs and electrifies in equal measure.'
Publishers Weekly
'Captivating…Widder's enthusiastic, joyful memoir amply describes the “wonder and exhilaration of discovery”. Inspiring for science-loving readers and environmentalists young and old.'
Kirkus
'A superbly captivating writer, Widder fluently elucidates complex scientific inquiries and findings…She also renders the ludicrous, the terrifying, and the enthralling with equal vim and vigor…Widder dazzles readers with dramatic tales of expeditions…passionately and expertly arguing that it is urgently important for us to understand the oceans, which are severely imperiled and essential to our survival.'
Booklist (starred review)
‘Widder’s passion is so contagious…Her enthusiasm is matched by her sense of humor…Readers of Below the Edge of Darkness will become staunch champions of the spectacular bioluminescent world that thrives in the ocean’s depths.’
BookPage
‘This book illustrates the careful, curious, years-long quest of a scientist in love with her work. Widder peppers her text with witty asides as footnotes that invite readers into her passion. Highly recommended.’
Library Journal
‘Stylish, eloquent…A unique view of the denizens of the deep.’
Guardian
‘Enthralling...The science throughout the book is fascinating as Widder repeatedly revolutionizes her field, but there is much more than science here. Widder is also an explorer, an inventor and a captivating storyteller whose life has been uncommonly adventurous, both on land and at sea.’
StarTribune
‘A thrilling adventure story as well as a scientific revelation, Below the Edge of Darkness reckons with the complicated and sometimes dangerous realities of exploration. Widder shows us how when we push our boundaries and expand our worlds, discovery and wonder follow.’
Book Riot
‘This autobiography is an adventure story as well as a scientific one, as Widder navigates tense equipment malfunctions while exploring questions about our largest ecosystem, one that is increasingly threatened.’
Gazette
‘Gripping…A thrilling blend of hard science and high adventure…Often the prose glints.’
New York Times
‘Edith Widder’s subject is light itself—the manufacture of light by strange and eerie denizens of the deep sea—and her scintillating style is worthy of it…A book of marvels, marvellously written.’
Richard Dawkins
‘Edie’s story is one of hardscrabble optimism, two-fisted exploration and groundbreaking research. As I’ve said many times, I’d have wrapped my submersible, the Deepsea Challenger, in bacon if it would have lured the elusive giant squid from the depths. In Below the Edge of Darkness, Edie tells you how she did it.’
James Cameron
‘My experience of exploring the deep ocean and its alien life with Edie Widder was fabulous. She enthralls us with many such stories in her book. I recommend it.’
Ray Dalio
‘Personal and page-turning, adventurous and awe-inspiring, Below the Edge of Darkness sparkles with the thrill of exploration and glows with an urgent plea for the future of our precious seas. Comparisons to Jacques Cousteau spring to mind, as Edith Widder shares the profound journey of her life—one as unique and important as the unexplored realms of our very own planet.’
Juli Berwald, author of Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone
‘Luminous—the topic, the heroic journey, and the author herself. Dive in with Edith Widder, trail-blazing scientist and explorer, as she reveals the galaxy of light and life in the universe below the surface of the sea, out-shining sceptical male colleagues with dignity, grace and a robust sense of humour.’
Sylvia Earle, oceanographer, founder of Mission Blue and National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence
'Widder illuminates life in the dark depths of the ocean in her fascinating debut…Informs and electrifies in equal measure.'
Publishers Weekly
'Captivating…Widder's enthusiastic, joyful memoir amply describes the “wonder and exhilaration of discovery”. Inspiring for science-loving readers and environmentalists young and old.'
Kirkus
'A superbly captivating writer, Widder fluently elucidates complex scientific inquiries and findings…She also renders the ludicrous, the terrifying, and the enthralling with equal vim and vigor…Widder dazzles readers with dramatic tales of expeditions…passionately and expertly arguing that it is urgently important for us to understand the oceans, which are severely imperiled and essential to our survival.'
Booklist (starred review)
‘Widder’s passion is so contagious…Her enthusiasm is matched by her sense of humor…Readers of Below the Edge of Darkness will become staunch champions of the spectacular bioluminescent world that thrives in the ocean’s depths.’
BookPage
‘This book illustrates the careful, curious, years-long quest of a scientist in love with her work. Widder peppers her text with witty asides as footnotes that invite readers into her passion. Highly recommended.’
Library Journal
‘Stylish, eloquent…A unique view of the denizens of the deep.’
Guardian
‘Enthralling...The science throughout the book is fascinating as Widder repeatedly revolutionizes her field, but there is much more than science here. Widder is also an explorer, an inventor and a captivating storyteller whose life has been uncommonly adventurous, both on land and at sea.’
StarTribune
‘A thrilling adventure story as well as a scientific revelation, Below the Edge of Darkness reckons with the complicated and sometimes dangerous realities of exploration. Widder shows us how when we push our boundaries and expand our worlds, discovery and wonder follow.’
Book Riot
‘This autobiography is an adventure story as well as a scientific one, as Widder navigates tense equipment malfunctions while exploring questions about our largest ecosystem, one that is increasingly threatened.’
Gazette
‘Gripping…A thrilling blend of hard science and high adventure…Often the prose glints.’
New York Times
June 29, 2021
What is a recipe for a great popular science book? A lot of adventures, thrill of discovery and hair raising experiences seasoned with a healthy dose of mind-blowing scientific facts and mixed with a moving memoir. All this and more you can find in this brilliant volume.
I have to admit that I chose it because of my interest in science rather than familiarity with the author, so I was pleasantly surprised not only by her accomplishments but also beautiful, witty, tongue-in-cheek style (remember to read the footnotes, it’s pure gold!). Edith Widder spent her life in the lab and on the ocean, fully dedicated to marine biology, never losing her curiosity and spirit, despite leaking submarines (with Hitchcockian touch, she starts the book with such a scene), lack of funding nor fights with TV producers.
In some ways this book reminded me of my favorite ‘Lab Girl’ by Hope Jahren, as both are inspiring stories of female scientists, though here the balance between describing the research and memoir is reversed. And that’s a good thing because bioluminescence and deep sea ecology are little known but fascinating topics, especially with such an exceptional guide as Edith Widder.
Many thanks to the publisher, Random House, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.
I have to admit that I chose it because of my interest in science rather than familiarity with the author, so I was pleasantly surprised not only by her accomplishments but also beautiful, witty, tongue-in-cheek style (remember to read the footnotes, it’s pure gold!). Edith Widder spent her life in the lab and on the ocean, fully dedicated to marine biology, never losing her curiosity and spirit, despite leaking submarines (with Hitchcockian touch, she starts the book with such a scene), lack of funding nor fights with TV producers.
In some ways this book reminded me of my favorite ‘Lab Girl’ by Hope Jahren, as both are inspiring stories of female scientists, though here the balance between describing the research and memoir is reversed. And that’s a good thing because bioluminescence and deep sea ecology are little known but fascinating topics, especially with such an exceptional guide as Edith Widder.
Many thanks to the publisher, Random House, and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.
September 5, 2021
I saw “sea sparkle” for the first time during a moonlight kayak off the Outer Banks of North Carolina a couple of months ago and was fascinated enough by it that the topic of bioluminescence would have been sufficient to make me enjoy this book. (Usually that kind of bioluminescence is found in the Caribbean, but apparently some of the plankton were blown in by a hurricane and found the North Carolina conditions suitable enough that they set up housekeeping there.) Dr. Widder has had an incredible career, and the book is worth reading for the science alone. But I also loved her passion for exploration, the awe she finds in the world we live in, her dedication and pragmatism regarding climate change, pollution, over-harvesting and the other ways in which humans are decimating their oceans, and her optimism that we will be able to improve things. As she concluded by channeling the Mark Watney character in Andy Weir’s The Martian: “We’re gonna have to science the shit out of it!” And somehow she makes me believe that we can.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
October 17, 2022
Widder has been a pioneer of deep sea exploration and the study of bioluminescence since the beginning of her career, and has seen all the technical advances, jumped over the financial hurdles, and captured footage of never before seen marine fauna, including the Humboldt squid, or giant squid, the legendary guys portrayed in fiction as about to crack into your submarine like it's a can of tuna.
Out of this entire book, filled to the brim with fascinating information, there were two things that smacked me in the face: there are animals living in the ocean that have never encountered a surface because they're too far from the bottom and too far from the shore, and while nothing goes faster than the speed of light in a vacuum, there are particles that can go faster than light in water. The first thing never occurred to me and I find that equal parts unsettling and hilarious, but how had I never heard about water allowing for faster than light speeds?? I'm floored.
Widder also makes a very good point about space exploration being prioritised over deep sea exploration, even though we have still so much to learn about the ways life works on this planet. Don't get me wrong, I love space exploration and conducting experiments in microgravity has tremendous value, but deep sea creatures are right there. I, like seemingly most other children, wanted to be a marine biologist when I was little (I grew up on an island, I think it's required). I ended up taking another path, but that doesn't mean I'm not still obsessed with sea creatures. I love me a creature. No creatures anywhere in space so far, so maybe it's time to shift priorities before the ones on this planet go extinct.
I am relatively sure I've watched at least one of her TED Talks at some point, but I am going to watch all of them now.
Out of this entire book, filled to the brim with fascinating information, there were two things that smacked me in the face: there are animals living in the ocean that have never encountered a surface because they're too far from the bottom and too far from the shore, and while nothing goes faster than the speed of light in a vacuum, there are particles that can go faster than light in water. The first thing never occurred to me and I find that equal parts unsettling and hilarious, but how had I never heard about water allowing for faster than light speeds?? I'm floored.
Widder also makes a very good point about space exploration being prioritised over deep sea exploration, even though we have still so much to learn about the ways life works on this planet. Don't get me wrong, I love space exploration and conducting experiments in microgravity has tremendous value, but deep sea creatures are right there. I, like seemingly most other children, wanted to be a marine biologist when I was little (I grew up on an island, I think it's required). I ended up taking another path, but that doesn't mean I'm not still obsessed with sea creatures. I love me a creature. No creatures anywhere in space so far, so maybe it's time to shift priorities before the ones on this planet go extinct.
I am relatively sure I've watched at least one of her TED Talks at some point, but I am going to watch all of them now.
April 30, 2022
Trigger warnings: life threatening situations, mentions of death, medical emergency.
I picked this up on a whim and ended up absolutely loving it. It's surprisingly light hearted and very funny while also being incredibly informative about oceanography, bioluminescence and underwater exploration in general.
Widder has a clear passion for her subject and she's incredibly good at discussing it in a way that's easily understandable to the average idiot like me. As someone who's read Into the Drowning Deep multiple times, there were definitely moments when I had to stop reading to check that I hadn't accidentally stumbled into mermaid horror because there were a staggering amount of similarities in the storytelling at times.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I absolutely know that I have zero desire to go to the bottom of the ocean, ta thank you very much.
I picked this up on a whim and ended up absolutely loving it. It's surprisingly light hearted and very funny while also being incredibly informative about oceanography, bioluminescence and underwater exploration in general.
Widder has a clear passion for her subject and she's incredibly good at discussing it in a way that's easily understandable to the average idiot like me. As someone who's read Into the Drowning Deep multiple times, there were definitely moments when I had to stop reading to check that I hadn't accidentally stumbled into mermaid horror because there were a staggering amount of similarities in the storytelling at times.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I absolutely know that I have zero desire to go to the bottom of the ocean, ta thank you very much.
August 18, 2021
4.5 only dinged because I wasn't by the ocean while listening to the audio... I have lived by the sea and adore ocean books while walking on the sand, instead I listened in a hot, smoke filled garden from the rampaging fires and it cut my enjoyment level. If at my beach house would have been a solid 5!
February 13, 2024
Digestible and enthralling. Don’t know what book the other reviewers read
January 4, 2024
"Below the Edge of Darkness" was an incredible exploration of the amazing things that live in the darkness under the sea. While this book definitely chronicles Edith Widder's life as a marine biologist, it also goes into depth about the creatures she encounters and how we can learn more about them.
Something Widder talks about a lot is how little we know about the ocean. We know more about the Moon and Venus than we do about the oceans. Widder challenges us to recognize that we will never truly know our own planet until we understand the oceans. Because, when you think about it, our world is an ocean world.
Something Widder talks about a lot is how little we know about the ocean. We know more about the Moon and Venus than we do about the oceans. Widder challenges us to recognize that we will never truly know our own planet until we understand the oceans. Because, when you think about it, our world is an ocean world.
February 5, 2023
This book was both fun and educational. It's not especially humorous or thrilling, there's a little of that. It just reminds me of the charm a well-written memoir can have. You meet people here. And a field. Equally important to the scientific discoveries is the process of study, data collection, and experimentation laid out in her career. Also equally vital is the conversations about acquiring funding and dealing with movie/show deals, etc. Peel back the cover, show us the face of science, show us its nuts and bolts as well as its wonder. I was all about giant squids as a kid so this was a joy, but more spectacular for me was the descriptions of the bioluminescence that I'll have to look up pictures for.
Read
May 16, 2021I wanted to like this book. I have never read a book about the deep sea and I was FASCINATED with some of the information Dr. Widder discussed. Regardless of this book, Dr. Widder is a badass. She succeeds in a male-dominated industry and is one of the best in her field. I liked learning about her throughout the book. However, the overall writing felt very scattered. We’d be talking about an interesting deep sea creature, then all of a sudden jump to Dr. Widders childhood, then back to a sea creature. The combination of memoir and science can work well, but it was just not quite the best fit here. I would have preferred less jumping back and forth between her life and the creatures every paragraph or so. Again, that is my preference, so perhaps it is not yours! Regardless, this book was full of unique information and told the story of someone I admire.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!
March 5, 2023
I wouldn't necessarily give a 5-star for the writing, especially the later chapters; but the content... the content is 10 out 5 stars! So in the end, that made up more than enough for the writing.
What a wonderful world; the deep sea. The bizarre, the colorful, the bioluminescence... We're exploring the ocean but there's still so much more to explore, while at the same time the human activity (climate change; over fishing; pollution...) is drastically damaging it. For us to care deeply, we must first fall in love with all these magic life forms. And for that, I cannot say how much appreciation I have for all these explorers such as the author.
I had goose bumps when reading some parts of the book, not necessarily when a new organism was first seen (this IS exciting); but definitely when an understanding suddenly came through -- confusions and conflicts suddenly all made sense under this new light. The potential function of bioluminescence during sunset when marine animals swim upward for food is one such moment.
The darkness below a certain depth the author described; and how with some motion the bioluminescence appears -- again and again, but the appeal doesn't diminish. I imagine the pure darkness, and then the flicking stars. everywhere. Tears of pearl.
And I miss a dear friend. She would definitely make a great marine biologist. I see the same childlike curiosity, the passion for the unknown and beauty, the courage, and the sharp but calm mind. And I think I can understand a bit more about her now, more than when we actually had a chance to talk. And I so miss her.
What a wonderful world; the deep sea. The bizarre, the colorful, the bioluminescence... We're exploring the ocean but there's still so much more to explore, while at the same time the human activity (climate change; over fishing; pollution...) is drastically damaging it. For us to care deeply, we must first fall in love with all these magic life forms. And for that, I cannot say how much appreciation I have for all these explorers such as the author.
I had goose bumps when reading some parts of the book, not necessarily when a new organism was first seen (this IS exciting); but definitely when an understanding suddenly came through -- confusions and conflicts suddenly all made sense under this new light. The potential function of bioluminescence during sunset when marine animals swim upward for food is one such moment.
The darkness below a certain depth the author described; and how with some motion the bioluminescence appears -- again and again, but the appeal doesn't diminish. I imagine the pure darkness, and then the flicking stars. everywhere. Tears of pearl.
And I miss a dear friend. She would definitely make a great marine biologist. I see the same childlike curiosity, the passion for the unknown and beauty, the courage, and the sharp but calm mind. And I think I can understand a bit more about her now, more than when we actually had a chance to talk. And I so miss her.
April 15, 2023
So amazing. The description of the development of engineering in ocean exploration played an unexpectedly big role in the book, but it was a pleasant surprise. Does a great job at tying a narrative to the science to make it approachable, and the passion Widder obviously has for the field makes it such a fun read. Literally changing my career plans to ocean exploration engineering rn
Read
February 21, 2023made me want to quit literature and be a marine biologist but only because I skimmed the really technical bits
April 7, 2022
Really interesting read. Not for the lighthearted.. make sure you're interested biology if you want to dive into this one. Learnt a lot about octopuses and even wildlife documentaries.
August 22, 2023
Brilliantly written account of the highlights of Dr Widder's career studying marine biology. I love the passion and enthusiasm that comes through in these memoirs. I found myself completely enraptured by bioluminescence and the deep ocean. I may never be priviledged enough to dive and see the wonders of the deep but this book has brought me closer to that realm. I cannot think of higher praise. Thank you for bringing us along for the ride.
September 12, 2021
A fascinating insight into the highlights of the career of deep sea marine biologist, Edith Widder. The audiobook was a bit difficult to focus on, so I would recommend the physical book over audio.
March 3, 2022
This was a marvellous book and I loved every page, (I re-read some of them). It has got to be a standout book when, as soon as I finish reading my library copy, I am online to the publisher ordering my own.
Edith Widder has has some amazing experiences in her life, as a postgraduate she worked on bioluminescence in marine dinoflagellates, a position she almost stubbled upon and this was the start of a life long journey through Marine Bioluminescence. A lot of the book is around the various fascinating and exciting trips the author has been on, in various oceans, on various ships to travel down into the deep darkest ocean depths. Usually revolving around trips in small subs, she describes in intoxicating detail the beauty and mystery of bioluminescence in the deep sea.
I loved the details! The beginning of the book is a little about the author and how she came to be traveling the bioluminescent life work. This, which I believe was the hardest for her to write, was fun to read. While I understand that a lifetime of scientific writing (which intends to obliviate the personal from writing) is hard to get over, I agree with the publishers; having a sense of the person one is reading about makes the book far more relatable. And the person sounds wonderful! The occasional geeky references and sly humour that sneak into the narrative make me think that Edith would be a great person to meet, to sit down and have a drink and chat with, her anecdotes alone would be gold.
And this book is gold too! There are so few writers out there that write about the ocean with the respect, fascination, understanding and joy which it instils in me. Every one is gold.
Now, perhaps this will not be for everyone. It starts with a solid grounding regarding vision, physiology, light and all that other vital stuff to understanding bioluminescence, which I enjoyed considerably. In my opinion the author did a magnificent job of giving just enough science, but never too much. Phrasing it at a basic enough level that a 'popular science reader' should be able to follow along easily. MY opinion IS biased however; I do have a marine biology/zoology degree and a lot of this was a refresher or a reminder (Some of it was new, my degree is decades old after all, but I started out with the context), it might be that if you have never read any bio-science it will be hard, it is worth reading though. If you really can't read it, it will not hurt to skip ahead to the adventures.
And what adventures they are! Dan Brown novels were less thrilling for me than this! Starting with her first deep-sea diving in the Wasp; which was basically a huge, rigid cylinder on a rope/tether in which the operator was lowered, all alone into the deep ocean. Up to the last trips described, on luxury yachts, with several multiple person subs buzzing around the deep sea to film documentaries (no, no Mermaids, I promise). there are descriptions of first sighting bioluminescent animals never before seen, engineering solutions to filming them and lots of other things that got MY heart racing.
The small things thrilled me too; when they see animals for the first time, when they successfully design a 'bio jelly' that attracts the Humboldt squid. The small realisations of what bioluminescence must mean for the life involved and how it can be used.
While I loved the stories (and the colour plates) of bioluminescent invertebrate displays, of the weird and wonderful deep sea fishes and the process of learning more about all the denizens, I was always a little aware of the years of work, grant application, data analysis and so firth that lay behind the exciting bits we get to read about.
This woman's life work has been truly inspirational. While I never made it as a marine biologist, I am happy that strong, dedicated women like the author have. And reading their amazing stories of lifelong discovery in marine biology is the next best thing to having lived it myself. Maybe better - I did not have to write the grant applications, after all.
I especially love her message; "We must do a better job of helping people understand what it means to live on a ocean planet. More specifically: what it means to live on a few little dry islands surrounded by a vast watery world that we know surprisingly little about." [pg. 179] Because the ocean is the single most fascinating thing this world holds, and without it there and healthy, the rest of the world as we know it ceases to exist.
Edith Widder has has some amazing experiences in her life, as a postgraduate she worked on bioluminescence in marine dinoflagellates, a position she almost stubbled upon and this was the start of a life long journey through Marine Bioluminescence. A lot of the book is around the various fascinating and exciting trips the author has been on, in various oceans, on various ships to travel down into the deep darkest ocean depths. Usually revolving around trips in small subs, she describes in intoxicating detail the beauty and mystery of bioluminescence in the deep sea.
I loved the details! The beginning of the book is a little about the author and how she came to be traveling the bioluminescent life work. This, which I believe was the hardest for her to write, was fun to read. While I understand that a lifetime of scientific writing (which intends to obliviate the personal from writing) is hard to get over, I agree with the publishers; having a sense of the person one is reading about makes the book far more relatable. And the person sounds wonderful! The occasional geeky references and sly humour that sneak into the narrative make me think that Edith would be a great person to meet, to sit down and have a drink and chat with, her anecdotes alone would be gold.
And this book is gold too! There are so few writers out there that write about the ocean with the respect, fascination, understanding and joy which it instils in me. Every one is gold.
Now, perhaps this will not be for everyone. It starts with a solid grounding regarding vision, physiology, light and all that other vital stuff to understanding bioluminescence, which I enjoyed considerably. In my opinion the author did a magnificent job of giving just enough science, but never too much. Phrasing it at a basic enough level that a 'popular science reader' should be able to follow along easily. MY opinion IS biased however; I do have a marine biology/zoology degree and a lot of this was a refresher or a reminder (Some of it was new, my degree is decades old after all, but I started out with the context), it might be that if you have never read any bio-science it will be hard, it is worth reading though. If you really can't read it, it will not hurt to skip ahead to the adventures.
And what adventures they are! Dan Brown novels were less thrilling for me than this! Starting with her first deep-sea diving in the Wasp; which was basically a huge, rigid cylinder on a rope/tether in which the operator was lowered, all alone into the deep ocean. Up to the last trips described, on luxury yachts, with several multiple person subs buzzing around the deep sea to film documentaries (no, no Mermaids, I promise). there are descriptions of first sighting bioluminescent animals never before seen, engineering solutions to filming them and lots of other things that got MY heart racing.
The small things thrilled me too; when they see animals for the first time, when they successfully design a 'bio jelly' that attracts the Humboldt squid. The small realisations of what bioluminescence must mean for the life involved and how it can be used.
While I loved the stories (and the colour plates) of bioluminescent invertebrate displays, of the weird and wonderful deep sea fishes and the process of learning more about all the denizens, I was always a little aware of the years of work, grant application, data analysis and so firth that lay behind the exciting bits we get to read about.
This woman's life work has been truly inspirational. While I never made it as a marine biologist, I am happy that strong, dedicated women like the author have. And reading their amazing stories of lifelong discovery in marine biology is the next best thing to having lived it myself. Maybe better - I did not have to write the grant applications, after all.
I especially love her message; "We must do a better job of helping people understand what it means to live on a ocean planet. More specifically: what it means to live on a few little dry islands surrounded by a vast watery world that we know surprisingly little about." [pg. 179] Because the ocean is the single most fascinating thing this world holds, and without it there and healthy, the rest of the world as we know it ceases to exist.
June 12, 2022
Absolutely top-notch popular science writing combined with some wonderful narration by Allyson Ryan. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not only did I learn a lot, I really enjoyed the vivid mental pictures the author and narrator painted of the fascinating life of the deep sea as well as the light touches of humor and the fascinating human interest stories. Again and again the book surprised me with new facts about marine biology and cool stories about the author’s experiences whether it was making new scientific discoveries or inventing new equipment or working with the U.S. Navy or encountering giant squid or working not once but twice with television productions and giving the reader a wonderful insider’s view of such televised expeditions from the perspective of a scientist.
The book is at its heart is on bioluminescent organisms, with the author very skilled at conveying to the interested lay reader how bioluminescence works, the history of the study of it, what types of organisms have it, why it is far more prevalent in deep sea free swimming marine life than with any type of creature on land or in the air, the evolution of bioluminescence, how specifically bioluminescence is used and why it is used by organisms, what different usages of bioluminescence by different organisms mean, the field of study known as visual ecology, how different colors are perceived in the depths, and the differences between bioluminescence and other types of luminescence (chemiluminescence, fluorescence, incandescence, and phosphorescence, none of which are the same thing as bioluminescence).
As the ecosystem with the majority of bioluminescent organisms on Earth and the author’s main area of study, the book is also a wonderful introduction to the deep midwater, the midnight zone, an entirely dark area of the ocean but not the ocean floor, perpetually cold, a habitat that makes up ninety percent of the ocean and is the largest habitat on Earth. Quite different from life on the ocean floor, it is like the ocean floor an area of perpetual darkness and crushing depths, often dependent upon marine snow for sustenance (a topic well covered in the book) but unlike the bottom, lacks anything to hide behind or any structures for an organism to attach to or otherwise use. With no natural cover, life can either hide in the darkness or paradoxically hide in the light of bioluminescence. The author did a fantastic job of introducing me to this alien world, a world of siphonophores and deep water sharks and deep sea shrimp and all manner of cephalopods and many very odd fish like anglerfish, a world that is so amazing the author is continually amazed that most people aren’t riveted by this strange realm (and as strange as it is, is arguably the default, as again, this is the largest habitat on Earth).
Not just a fun popular science text book and marine biology travelogue (whether off the coast of Japan or off the California coast or the Caribbean or the North Atlantic or in Chilean waters), the author recounted personal experiences inventing new equipment to study deep sea marine life, of studying giant squid and Humboldt squid, of going deep under the surface in submersibles (and having a close call in one), of studying bioluminescent organisms in labs and in trying to get funding, and trying to educate the public (or Discovery Channel producers) about marine biology. Also, the author recounted experiences in her personal life that also touched upon her life’s work, most notably a surprisingly riveting and very well written account of the author’s brush with being blind for a time.
Overall, very nicely done and I highly recommend it.
The book is at its heart is on bioluminescent organisms, with the author very skilled at conveying to the interested lay reader how bioluminescence works, the history of the study of it, what types of organisms have it, why it is far more prevalent in deep sea free swimming marine life than with any type of creature on land or in the air, the evolution of bioluminescence, how specifically bioluminescence is used and why it is used by organisms, what different usages of bioluminescence by different organisms mean, the field of study known as visual ecology, how different colors are perceived in the depths, and the differences between bioluminescence and other types of luminescence (chemiluminescence, fluorescence, incandescence, and phosphorescence, none of which are the same thing as bioluminescence).
As the ecosystem with the majority of bioluminescent organisms on Earth and the author’s main area of study, the book is also a wonderful introduction to the deep midwater, the midnight zone, an entirely dark area of the ocean but not the ocean floor, perpetually cold, a habitat that makes up ninety percent of the ocean and is the largest habitat on Earth. Quite different from life on the ocean floor, it is like the ocean floor an area of perpetual darkness and crushing depths, often dependent upon marine snow for sustenance (a topic well covered in the book) but unlike the bottom, lacks anything to hide behind or any structures for an organism to attach to or otherwise use. With no natural cover, life can either hide in the darkness or paradoxically hide in the light of bioluminescence. The author did a fantastic job of introducing me to this alien world, a world of siphonophores and deep water sharks and deep sea shrimp and all manner of cephalopods and many very odd fish like anglerfish, a world that is so amazing the author is continually amazed that most people aren’t riveted by this strange realm (and as strange as it is, is arguably the default, as again, this is the largest habitat on Earth).
Not just a fun popular science text book and marine biology travelogue (whether off the coast of Japan or off the California coast or the Caribbean or the North Atlantic or in Chilean waters), the author recounted personal experiences inventing new equipment to study deep sea marine life, of studying giant squid and Humboldt squid, of going deep under the surface in submersibles (and having a close call in one), of studying bioluminescent organisms in labs and in trying to get funding, and trying to educate the public (or Discovery Channel producers) about marine biology. Also, the author recounted experiences in her personal life that also touched upon her life’s work, most notably a surprisingly riveting and very well written account of the author’s brush with being blind for a time.
Overall, very nicely done and I highly recommend it.
April 27, 2022
"We've got to science the shit out of this" are the final words of this audio format science-y memoir, and that line was by far the most "in touch" Edith Widder's writing got. It was published in 2021 and explores a subject I have become extremely interested in, so I was quite disappointed at how much of it was boring or difficult to follow. I love the cover design and it intrigued me several times a week on the Featured New Titles shelves of the library.
There are absolutely many fascinating things I learned about in this book, and it prompted me to Google a handful of things that appear much more astounding in photos than in words. And in some way I got what I was asking for: more attention to methodology [than had appeared in some other natural science or psychology books I've read recently]. But Widder's presentation of these cool and mysterious bioregions is a linear account that includes things like what she had for breakfast that day. Worse, every single attempt at making a joke goes kerplunk like the corniest of dad jokes. I kept rolling my eyes and asking myself, "Who is she talking to?" I myself am nearly 40 years old and yet the comparisons, sayings, and pop cultural references she makes throughout this very new book were highly dated - the language spoken here is strictly Baby Boomer.
If there were a deeeply condensed and carved out summary of this book containing photos and all the coolest things she and her colleagues have found, and *some* of the scientific procedural explanations, I would highly recommend it.
As a long-time (rather light) activist for social and ecological justice, I did appreciate the positive attitude she advocates for explicitly. It's easy to feel despair when looking at the facts of how much reckless harm humans have done and continue to do to the one planet we can live on. And Widder makes a convincing argument for a switcheroo of the kinds of budgets dedicated by governments to outer space exploration vs. oceanic exploration. I learned that we have much better maps of several other planets than we do of our own damn ocean floors. Widder says we don't know about the oft-quoted "5%" of the oceans, but closer to 0.01%.
Despite the confidence with which David Attenborough spews superlatives about whichever ocean animal is the "most" something or other, it is more clear from this veteran scientist's perspective that we really don't know very much for certain about most ocean life. That said, I watched a very dramatic and informative documentary about the Great Barrier Reef about three quarters of the way through this book, and then immediately watched the "Deep" episodes of Blue Planet (the first one), and I would highly recommend either of those awe-inspiring videos to the average layperson. Below the Edge of Darkness might be just perfect for a senior retiree with curious dreams of ocean science.
There are absolutely many fascinating things I learned about in this book, and it prompted me to Google a handful of things that appear much more astounding in photos than in words. And in some way I got what I was asking for: more attention to methodology [than had appeared in some other natural science or psychology books I've read recently]. But Widder's presentation of these cool and mysterious bioregions is a linear account that includes things like what she had for breakfast that day. Worse, every single attempt at making a joke goes kerplunk like the corniest of dad jokes. I kept rolling my eyes and asking myself, "Who is she talking to?" I myself am nearly 40 years old and yet the comparisons, sayings, and pop cultural references she makes throughout this very new book were highly dated - the language spoken here is strictly Baby Boomer.
If there were a deeeply condensed and carved out summary of this book containing photos and all the coolest things she and her colleagues have found, and *some* of the scientific procedural explanations, I would highly recommend it.
As a long-time (rather light) activist for social and ecological justice, I did appreciate the positive attitude she advocates for explicitly. It's easy to feel despair when looking at the facts of how much reckless harm humans have done and continue to do to the one planet we can live on. And Widder makes a convincing argument for a switcheroo of the kinds of budgets dedicated by governments to outer space exploration vs. oceanic exploration. I learned that we have much better maps of several other planets than we do of our own damn ocean floors. Widder says we don't know about the oft-quoted "5%" of the oceans, but closer to 0.01%.
Despite the confidence with which David Attenborough spews superlatives about whichever ocean animal is the "most" something or other, it is more clear from this veteran scientist's perspective that we really don't know very much for certain about most ocean life. That said, I watched a very dramatic and informative documentary about the Great Barrier Reef about three quarters of the way through this book, and then immediately watched the "Deep" episodes of Blue Planet (the first one), and I would highly recommend either of those awe-inspiring videos to the average layperson. Below the Edge of Darkness might be just perfect for a senior retiree with curious dreams of ocean science.
January 10, 2023
7.5 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Below the Edge of Darkness serves a dual purpose. Intended both as an introduction to the world of bioluminescence and the deep ocean depths, it also serves as a memoir of one Edith Widder—one of the pioneer marine biologists exploring the ocean deep, deep down below the sight of visible light.
I came into this one with no real expectations. Well… okay, I expected the science. I showed up for the science. I started with an expectation of science. What I got (at least initially) was not science. As anyone would in a memoir, Edith Widder spends a lot of time talking about herself. About her childhood, her schooling, the things that made her want to get into marine biology in the first place. I kinda figured that there would be an element of this as well, but maybe not to such an extent. What I did not expect—and what actually turned me off the book at first—was the hook.
Every story starts with a hook. Fiction, at least; thriller, mystery, fantasy, ya, some other variety of book people might read… Even some non-fiction like case-studies and biographies start with a hook. Something to draw the reader in, get them asking “and what happened next?”, something to keep them around. So yeah, I expected a hook. But what I expected was for it to be something on the nature of a dwindling resource, pollution, lack of funding—something about the science. I didn’t expect the hook to be about the author or her life.
No reason why, I guess. Not that I can think of now, at least. Sufficient to say, however, that back when I first started this book—in the late summer of 2021—I didn’t care. About the author, about the reason, about the hook. I wanted some science. To lose myself in the beauty of nature, the technical world, in an attempt to catalogue and understand the very nature of creation itself.
Come 2022, I was struggling to read anything, and found this in the backlog. I already had the audiobook—figured I might as well give it a shot. And, while I didn’t love it, I did enjoy Below the Edge of Darkness.
From what you can probably tell, I’m not a big memoir person. I don’t obsess over unknowable people and their lives to the point that I don’t care to read about some random person that I’ll likely never meet. (And yes, this includes Gandhi, Mother Theresa, or Alfred Noble—I’m never going to meet any of them, so their day to day workings kinda bore me. Read from this what you will, but hey—there’s a reason I mostly read fantasy books.)
Still, while I didn’t show up for the memoir part, I found it mostly interesting. And I’m… somewhat intolerant of this subject in general. I find Cosmos just pretentious and boring. I’m a hard sell.
At the time she was in school, the whole idea of women in science was laughable. After all, the world was still iffy on the idea of “women in the workplace”. But science—science is for men. Women had no capacity to understand or comprehend most of it and blah blah blah. Just… I’ll never understand this, but whatever. So much of Edith Widder’s life was spent just trying to convince some people that she belonged. That she was just as capable as her counterparts. What she overcame in her life to actually make it to the sea floor was quite impressive. What she ranted and raved about constantly was mostly interesting, but again, my brain craved science, and in the end that’s what kept me around.
There’s just enough about the nature of bioluminescence to make this work in a scientific journal. Not enough for a case-study; it reads more like an autobiography with bits of science thrown in to round out the reader’s perspective. I probably would’ve liked more, but it still served as a crash course into the world of bioluminescence, investigating the giant squid, and exploring the deep ocean. I know I ranted way more about the memoir part than I should’ve, but I’m not going to change it now.
Read it if you’re into that kinda thing: memoirs, bioluminescence, the ocean deep, the majesty of nature and the lives of folk you’ll likely never meet. Or if you’ve just grown upset at my blasé review of it. As I said before, it’s mostly pretty good. I’d recommend it.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Below the Edge of Darkness serves a dual purpose. Intended both as an introduction to the world of bioluminescence and the deep ocean depths, it also serves as a memoir of one Edith Widder—one of the pioneer marine biologists exploring the ocean deep, deep down below the sight of visible light.
I came into this one with no real expectations. Well… okay, I expected the science. I showed up for the science. I started with an expectation of science. What I got (at least initially) was not science. As anyone would in a memoir, Edith Widder spends a lot of time talking about herself. About her childhood, her schooling, the things that made her want to get into marine biology in the first place. I kinda figured that there would be an element of this as well, but maybe not to such an extent. What I did not expect—and what actually turned me off the book at first—was the hook.
Every story starts with a hook. Fiction, at least; thriller, mystery, fantasy, ya, some other variety of book people might read… Even some non-fiction like case-studies and biographies start with a hook. Something to draw the reader in, get them asking “and what happened next?”, something to keep them around. So yeah, I expected a hook. But what I expected was for it to be something on the nature of a dwindling resource, pollution, lack of funding—something about the science. I didn’t expect the hook to be about the author or her life.
No reason why, I guess. Not that I can think of now, at least. Sufficient to say, however, that back when I first started this book—in the late summer of 2021—I didn’t care. About the author, about the reason, about the hook. I wanted some science. To lose myself in the beauty of nature, the technical world, in an attempt to catalogue and understand the very nature of creation itself.
Come 2022, I was struggling to read anything, and found this in the backlog. I already had the audiobook—figured I might as well give it a shot. And, while I didn’t love it, I did enjoy Below the Edge of Darkness.
From what you can probably tell, I’m not a big memoir person. I don’t obsess over unknowable people and their lives to the point that I don’t care to read about some random person that I’ll likely never meet. (And yes, this includes Gandhi, Mother Theresa, or Alfred Noble—I’m never going to meet any of them, so their day to day workings kinda bore me. Read from this what you will, but hey—there’s a reason I mostly read fantasy books.)
Still, while I didn’t show up for the memoir part, I found it mostly interesting. And I’m… somewhat intolerant of this subject in general. I find Cosmos just pretentious and boring. I’m a hard sell.
At the time she was in school, the whole idea of women in science was laughable. After all, the world was still iffy on the idea of “women in the workplace”. But science—science is for men. Women had no capacity to understand or comprehend most of it and blah blah blah. Just… I’ll never understand this, but whatever. So much of Edith Widder’s life was spent just trying to convince some people that she belonged. That she was just as capable as her counterparts. What she overcame in her life to actually make it to the sea floor was quite impressive. What she ranted and raved about constantly was mostly interesting, but again, my brain craved science, and in the end that’s what kept me around.
There’s just enough about the nature of bioluminescence to make this work in a scientific journal. Not enough for a case-study; it reads more like an autobiography with bits of science thrown in to round out the reader’s perspective. I probably would’ve liked more, but it still served as a crash course into the world of bioluminescence, investigating the giant squid, and exploring the deep ocean. I know I ranted way more about the memoir part than I should’ve, but I’m not going to change it now.
Read it if you’re into that kinda thing: memoirs, bioluminescence, the ocean deep, the majesty of nature and the lives of folk you’ll likely never meet. Or if you’ve just grown upset at my blasé review of it. As I said before, it’s mostly pretty good. I’d recommend it.
January 17, 2022
A fascinating and inspiring memoir by the brilliant Edith Widder, a marine biologist, oceanographer, and the CEO of the Ocean Research & Conservation Association.
In Below the Edge of Darkness, Widder explains how she developed an interest in and passion for bioluminescence (the type of light produced by living creatures such as fireflies, lanternfish, and comb jellies). The highlight of the book is Widder’s 2012 encounter with a giant squid—she and a team of fellow scientists were the first to film the “kraken” in its natural habitat thanks, in part, to Widder’s development of a specialized camera and a flashing, robotic jellyfish, which the team used to lure the squid. (I mentioned that she’s brilliant, right?)
Advocating for a realistic, pragmatic optimism as we work to solve the problems facing our oceans (e.g., climate change, pollution, overfishing), she also argues that humans should prioritize ocean exploration and conservation:
“Our focus needs to be on exploring our own planet before it’s too late. We know that our oceans are what make our planet livable, and yet they remain mostly unknown. We need to launch a new age of exploration, one that is focused on our greatest treasure, life. ... I embrace exploration—all exploration—because there is always new knowledge to be gained. But in the face of limited budgets and hard choices, I turn my head away from the stars to look instead at our oceans. I choose life and our own existence, as well as that of swaying kelp forests with playful sea otters and neon-orange garibaldi fish ...; and, of course, deep-sea coral gardens awash in twinkling bioluminescent splendor .... I know I’m biased, but seriously, how can the barren surface of Mars possibly compare?” (292)
Widder’s also given some captivating TED talks, including “How We Found the Giant Squid” and “The Weird and Wonderful World of Bioluminescence.” I’m glad I watched these before reading the book, as they helped prepare me for some of the scientific terminology, etc., in the memoir.
In Below the Edge of Darkness, Widder explains how she developed an interest in and passion for bioluminescence (the type of light produced by living creatures such as fireflies, lanternfish, and comb jellies). The highlight of the book is Widder’s 2012 encounter with a giant squid—she and a team of fellow scientists were the first to film the “kraken” in its natural habitat thanks, in part, to Widder’s development of a specialized camera and a flashing, robotic jellyfish, which the team used to lure the squid. (I mentioned that she’s brilliant, right?)
Advocating for a realistic, pragmatic optimism as we work to solve the problems facing our oceans (e.g., climate change, pollution, overfishing), she also argues that humans should prioritize ocean exploration and conservation:
“Our focus needs to be on exploring our own planet before it’s too late. We know that our oceans are what make our planet livable, and yet they remain mostly unknown. We need to launch a new age of exploration, one that is focused on our greatest treasure, life. ... I embrace exploration—all exploration—because there is always new knowledge to be gained. But in the face of limited budgets and hard choices, I turn my head away from the stars to look instead at our oceans. I choose life and our own existence, as well as that of swaying kelp forests with playful sea otters and neon-orange garibaldi fish ...; and, of course, deep-sea coral gardens awash in twinkling bioluminescent splendor .... I know I’m biased, but seriously, how can the barren surface of Mars possibly compare?” (292)
Widder’s also given some captivating TED talks, including “How We Found the Giant Squid” and “The Weird and Wonderful World of Bioluminescence.” I’m glad I watched these before reading the book, as they helped prepare me for some of the scientific terminology, etc., in the memoir.
February 25, 2022
Cette autobiographie de l'océanographe et biologiste marine Edith Widder est un document exceptionnel. D'abord, le parcours de vie de cette scientifique à la destinée hors du commun est absolument impressionnant: alors étudiante en médecine, elle échappe à la mort sur la table d'une opération qui tourne mal. La convalescence sera longue et très souffrante. En plus des fortes douleurs qu'elle subit durant des mois, elle expérimente également la cécité. Cette perte temporaire du sens de la vue n'est pas étrangère au développement de son intérêt pour le phénomène de la bioluminescence, dont elle deviendra l'une des plus grandes spécialistes. À mi-chemin entre le récit de vie (ou d'aventure) et l'ouvrage de vulgarisation scientifique, cet ouvrage nous emmène dans les profondeurs abyssales des canyons et des fosses marines que l’autrice explore à l'aide de petits submersibles ou de combinaisons de plongée en profondeur. Dans cette inquiétante obscurité, si on sait se montrer patient, on assiste à un ballet lumineux époustouflant. Au moyen d'une écriture rythmée, pétillante, pleine d'humour et de traits d'esprit, Edith Widder nous tient en haleine de la première à la dernière page. Elle sait vulgariser des phénomènes biologiques complexes et éveille sans cesse notre curiosité. Exploratrice téméraire, on l'accompagne dans un submersible en proie à une fuite d'eau, lors d'un science talk avec Fidel Castro au large de Cuba et dans sa folle entreprise de capturer les premières images vidéo du mythique calmar géant. Au fil de notre lecture, on s'attache à ce personnage plus grand que nature, à cette scientifique passionnée. Elle nous donne le goût de la curiosité et de l'exploration. Soudainement, on a envie de se lever de notre canapé pour partir à la découverte du monde qui nous entoure, animé du désir de comprendre les choses. En épilogue, on se laisse gagner par son optimisme et on tourne la dernière page avec émotion.
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