The Dark Frontier

An awe-inspiring and panoramic investigation into the hidden world of the deep sea—a mysterious, unforgiving landscape whose secrets radically revise our understanding of life on earth. The deep sea is one of our last frontiers. For most of human history, it was a vast, dark, and unknown realm that invoked awe and terror. Now, one thing we do know it is that it is critically important and central to the future of life on this planet. In The Dark Frontier, marine microbiologist and deep sea explorer Jeff Marlow offers a new perspective on the power and beauty of the deep sea. Beginning with the nineteenth century “discovery” that the deep sea was, in fact, teeming with life, to more recent investigations into the microbiology of cold seeps and deep sea vents. Throughout, Marlow explores the ocean’s scientific marvels: theories about how life began underwater and how it may hold the key to discovering new life to entire ecosystems that formed around sunk whale carcasses. An engaging narrative journey grounded in Marlow’s own research, and vast knowledge of this aquatic underworld, The Dark Frontier’s revelations into how life can thrive in even the most remote, unforgiving landscapes expand our understanding of what might be possible elsewhere on earth—and beyond. Marlow reflects, too, on the environmental impact of deep-sea mining. Marlow’s work is informed by years of researching the deep sea and hundreds of experts: everyone from deep sea researchers to UN delegates. The Dark Frontier captures the awe and potential of the deep sea—teaching us lessons that bring us into the future–not just for the creatures that live there, but for those of us on the surface as well.