A pioneering oceanographer's assessment of the role of flotsam on world history describes how his volunteer team's efforts to track the ocean's currents revealed surprising discoveries about such subjects as the discovery of America, Japanese trade, and the origins of life; in an account that also makes observations about current environmental threats.
Curtis Ebbesmeyer holds a Ph.D. in oceanography from the University of Washington. Media worldwide have turned to his expertise on ocean currents and floating objects. He lives in Seattle, Washington.
Eric Scigliano, winner of Livingston and AAAS prizes for reporting, has written for Harper's, New Scientist, the New York Times, and many other publications. His books include Puget Sound, Michelangelo's Mountain, and Love, War, and Circuses.