Walking through the neon-lit corridors of the halls leading to the Aula Magna of the University in Mantua, the atmosphere changes radically. The softly lit room, fresh, but at the same time cozy, is the perfect setting for this event on ocean systems. The evening is as young as Helen Czerski, British physicist, oceanologist and author of the two books presented tonight: La macchina blu (Blue Machine), La tempesta in un bicchiere (Storm in a Teacup). The blue seats of the big conference hall allude to a topic that both the speakers and the audience are eager to dive into: the oceans and their secrets.

Moderator Elisabetta Tola established an informal connection between Czerski and her audience, however, the main draw was the topic itself. The study of nature, and particularly the oceans and water, inspires curiosity and a collective desire for action. Water has been a driver of human development and history, but it’s also a key element of further scientific and technological research, for climate change countermeasures, and for a new perspective on collective perception of our planet.

Czerski’s book combines all these topics, intertwined with personal experiences and anecdotes about current and past populations and their relationship with water and oceans. The author also explores the role of the oceans in reducing climate change. However, she also points out that lack of information on the nature and anatomy of the oceans often leads to poor decision-making. Indeed, the last chapter of the book examines the risks to oceans generated by humans and their collective ignorance on the subject.

The topic is broad and deep. There are a multitude of perspectives and elements that can and must be considered: even more are the problems and possible solutions. The event only scraped the first layer of a decades-long study. To know more, as the author said, read the book!