Of Seas and Ships and Scientists: The Remarkable History of the UK's National Institute of Oceanography, 1949-1973

This book captures the excitement of a formative phase of UK science during and immediately following WWII. It links back to scientists working at Antarctic whaling stations and the complimentary voyages of Captain Scott's Discovery that explored the vast icy Southern Ocean, funded by a tax on whale oil. In the depths of WWII a small group of young scientists were brought together under the inspirational leadership of Dr (later Sir) George Deacon, and shortly after the end of the war, the UKís first National Institute of Oceanography was formed. The discoveries from 50 years ago underpin our modern-day science. The bookís chapters are all written and edited by NIO scientists and convey the atmosphere of work at sea in a bygone age before small computers, satellite navigation and easy communication. The book is A useful introduction for students of marine and/or environmental science. It will appeal to many scientists and the general public , to those interested in science and innovation during and after WWII and of course to many living in the Surrey who always wondered what went on in the leafy lanes that were home to NIO and its successors for almost 50 years.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction (Margaret Deacon); 2. Marine Science in the UK before WWII (Margaret Deacon); 3. Steps toward the founding of NIO (Margaret Deacon); 4. The founding director, Sir George Deacon (Anthony Laughton and Margaret Deacon); 5. Group W at the Admirality Research Library: Personal reminiscences by some of its members (edited by Michael Longuet-Higgins); 6. Ocean ecology (Peter Foxton and Martin Angel); 7. Whales and whaling (Howard Roe); 8. Ocean currents - entering the modern age (Jim Crease); 9. Exploring ocean variability (John Gould); 10. Internal waves and all that (Steve Thorpe); 11. Seawater - its chemical and physical properties (Fred Culkin); 12. Wave research at Wormley (Michael Longuet-Higgins); 13. Waves, surges and tides (David Cartwright); 14. Applied Wave Research ('Tom' Tucker); 15. Sidescan sonar - a tool for seafloor geology (Arthur Stride); 16. The rocks below the deep ocean (Anthony Laughton); 17. Engineering and Applied Physics ('Tom' Tucker and Brian McCartney); 18. Research ships (Anthony Laughton); 19. The library - a key research tool (Pauline Simpson); 20. The 'backroom boys' (Anthony Laughton); 21. The legacy (Anthony Laughton and Howard Roe).