A Window into the Ocean Twilight Zone: Twenty-Four Days of Science at Sea

Gr 3-8–In the spring of 2021, Cusolito did a 14-day COVID-19 quarantine followed by a 24-day marine expedition on a research vessel chartered by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. A team of 43 was aboard, including scientists, researchers, crew, and communications. This book is about the nitty gritty of how research on the Twilight Zone (650 to 3,300 feet below the ocean surface) is conducted. Cusolito covers the types of machines that are used, how they are deployed and recovered, what happens when they break or fail, and what kind of data they collect. The water samples, flash frozen organisms, and images taken on this mission will be used to help scientists learn about the movement of carbon in the ocean, amongst other questions of importance. While Cusolito is certainly a capable and thorough writer, it is hard to pinpoint an audience for this lengthy account of oceanographic research techniques; this treatment of a somewhat esoteric topic lacks many of the fun facts that young nonfiction readers are accustomed to. The accounts of dealing with foul weather and turbulence at sea are thought-provoking and detailed. They had to use quick thinking to secure equipment and find creative ways to sleep, eat, shower, and stay in good spirits during severe turbulence. Cusolito provides thorough back matter including explanations of how she collected and checked the quotes and information, sources, websites, and podcasts to learn more, and a detailed index.