Megalodons, Mermaids, and Climate Change

With humor, easy-to-understand language, and fun illustrations, marine scientist Ellen Prager and meteorologist Dave Jones use frequently asked and zany questions about the ocean and atmosphere to combat misinformation and make science engaging and understandable for all.

Ellen Prager is a marine scientist, author, and the chief scientist for StormCenter Communications. She also works as a freelance writer and consultant. Her numerous books include Sex, Drugs, and Sea Slime: The Oceans’ Oddest Creatures and Why They Matter (2011) and Chasing Science at Sea: Racing Hurricanes, Stalking Sharks, and Living Undersea with Ocean Experts (2008).

Dave Jones is a meteorologist and thirty-five-year veteran of the weather industry. He is the founder of StormCenter Communications and worked as an on-air meteorologist in Washington, DC, and for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Prager and Jones are frequently requested public speakers and appear on television as experts. They are partners for work and in life.

Recommended for college/university library Marine Science collections and supplemental Oceanography/Ecology curriculum studies lists… the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers, as well as middle school, high school, community marine science collections.

Carl Safina, author of Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe :
Truth is stranger than fiction. But to appreciate this, you gotta know what’s true and what isn’t. In this delightful book, Prager and Jones set the records straight for you about what’s really weird and weirdly real about the ocean and the planet’s atmosphere—and how to tell the difference. It’s a great read and a great reference, a great resource and great fun.

The tone is often light and sometimes humorous. [This] book invites readers to jump around through the chapters, letting their curiosity guide them to the next topic. The chapter ‘Show Us the Data’ is a good mental martial arts course, giving tips on how [to] defend oneself from lies and misinformation. If I were to pick a chapter of this book to be required reading for high schoolers, it would be this one.

Such a down-to-Earth, easy-to-understand book as this is a most welcome one indeed.

Poised to become an invaluable resource for educators, science communicators, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the interconnected world of oceans and atmosphere. This book promises to illuminate the wonders of our planet and inspire a new generation of scientific thinkers.

In an effort to ‘promote improved understanding and combat misinformation’ in an age where the latter is far too prevalent, marine scientist Prager and meteorologist Jones have compiled ‘some of the most frequently asked and zaniest questions’ they and their colleagues have encountered. The authors present information in a detailed, frank, and conversational manner and clearly explain technical terms. The text doesn’t sugarcoat the dire nature of climate change, but it is lightened and enlivened by a fair amount of humor, especially in the scattered cartoon spot art. The work lends itself to being read cover to cover or dipped into by those who wish to learn more about a specific area, enhancing its usefulness. A solid and engaging overview of a host of scientific concepts.

I am left...speechless. The resources at the back could be its own book! As a middle school science teacher this book spoke to my soul, and as a human living on Earth...it did the same. ***** 5/5 stars

Paul Gross, author of Extreme Michigan Weather: The Wild World of the Great Lakes State:
In this book, Prager and Jones make atmospheric, oceanographic, and space science exciting and accessible to non-scientists in an interesting and easy-to-follow manner.

Timothy H. Dixon, Distinguished University Professor and Director of the USF Natural Hazards Network, University of South Florida:
With today's deluge of misinformation, Megalodons, Mermaids, and Climate Change is sorely needed, giving straightforward answers to commonly asked questions about climate, weather, and the environment.