The oceans are the single most important feature of our planet. They shape our climate, our culture, our future. Yet we know more about the surface of Mars than we do about Earth's watery depths.

What lies below the frozen Arctic ice-sheets? Or in the intriguing black holes under the Caribbean Sea? Drawing on the most exciting stories from the fields of sub-aquatic archaeology, geology, marine biology and anthropology, professional diver and explorer Paul Rose reveals an astonishing hidden world of lost cities, forgotten shipwrecks, underwater caves and submerged volcanoes. He also looks at life in the ocean habitat, from great white sharks to the myriad exotic, but rarely seen, creatures that thrive in the extreme conditions miles beneath the surface.

This book, like the landmark television series it accompanies, examines the possible consequences of upsetting this delicate balance and its impact on global warming. Beautifully illustrated with more than 150 colour photographs, Oceans: Exploring the Hidden Depths of the Underwater World unravels the mysteries of the deep and provides illuminating insights into this vast undersea domain.

The oceans and seas explored include the Mediterranean, the Sea of Cortez, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Southern Ocean and the Arctic Ocean.