Deep Sea Science: Deep-Sea Rare Metals and the Lessons of Dead Whales
Helen Scales, translated by Yumiko Hayashi, Tsukiji Shokan, June 2022, 330 pages, 3,000 yen (excluding tax)

With "Deep-Sea Studies" prominently displayed on the cover, this book looks like an academic text at first glance. In reality, however, it is a general book aimed at a wide readership, as evidenced by its publication as a vertically written book with a softer subtitle.
The prelude begins with a description of life and work aboard a research vessel, inviting the reader on a journey of deep-sea exploration. In the subsequent Part 1, after carefully detailing the foundational knowledge necessary to understand later chapters, various organisms such as sperm whales, bone-eating worms, jellyfish, tubeworms, and snailfish are introduced while explaining topics in deep-sea biology and ecology. In the following Parts 2 through 4, the topics expand to ocean physics centered around the deep sea, as well as deep-sea chemical resources, biological resources, and mineral resources, widely introducing the results of the latest surveys and research.
Writing it this way, many readers might think this is an exciting book on deep-sea science. However, the latest view of the deep sea depicted in this book is by no means entirely exciting. It also introduces many negative topics, such as the overfishing of biological resources and the destruction of ecosystems, the relationship with global warming, pollution by microplastics and chemical substances, the dumping of hazardous materials, international competition over mineral resources, and the connection between these events in the deep sea and the environment of the Earth as a whole. Moreover, as you read on, you realize that the modern deep sea is no longer a dream frontier, but something that must be conserved by pooling our collective wisdom.
The content of this book is much more substantial than the impression suggested by its handheld size and the cute illustrations on the cover. I am deeply impressed by the author's extensive research and comprehension skills, the expressive power to tell the entire story through text alone (aside from the beautiful color frontispiece), and the skill of the translator who rendered this weighty content into Japanese. Although presented in the format of a general book, true to its title, it is well worth reading closely as an academic text for researchers and students, while also being a must-read for general readers, especially those interested in marine environmental conservation and ocean policy.

Hiroshi Inoue (Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo)

Deep-Sea Science: Deep-Sea Rare Metals and the Lessons of Dead Whales - Book Review (PDF file)