Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone

Part science storytelling and part memoir, Spineless takes us around the world and down in deep-sea submersibles to explore the mysteries of jellyfish. Yes, jellyfish. You’ll learn a lot about the world’s oceans and cutting-edge science, yet all the research stays afloat with enthusiasm: “There’s a copepod that says ‘Fooled you!’ when it releases bioluminescent globs of light…” We also meet people who’ve dedicated their lives to the soft-bodied-yet-mighty jelly, and while there’s no red-beanied Steve Zissou, this cast of characters could hold their own in a movie: a Frank Zappa-obsessed Italian marine biologist, engineers infatuated with jellyfish propulsion systems, a quirky inventor of a sting-blocking lotion. Author Juli Berwald, a former ocean scientist, threads in just enough of her personal story to get you thinking about your own shelved dreams. If you grew up wanting to be the next Jacques Cousteau or Sylvia Earle, or even a Wes Anderson oceanographer, this book is for you.