International author reveals oceans in crisis

Discover the shocking truth about the state of the world's oceans as international best-selling author Allana Mitchell presents a special guest lecture at the University of Plymouth. Canadian author and journalist, Alanna Mitchell specialises in investigating changes to the earth's life-support systems and travels the world in search of scientists at the centre of what's going on. She returns to Plymouth this week after spending the last few years visiting the world's top marine scientists to gather evidence and hear first-hand how they view the future of our oceans, bringing together the bleak outlook in her new book 'Seasick - The hidden ecological crisis of the global ocean'. During her tour of the leading marine science centres, Alanna was drawn to Plymouth where she met and interviewed researchers from the city's own world-class marine laboratories that together comprise the Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership. Alanna says she is delighted to return to the city and share her conclusions with the very scientists who helped shape her understanding; "Seasick has become an international best-seller and at its heart is the cutting-edge research being done in Plymouth - in the book I call Plymouth, 'Plankton Central'. The UK is way ahead of most of the world on all the issues that matter about the health of the planet and you all have special roles in upcoming talks that could seal the planet's destiny." Joining marine scientists around the world, Alanna has witnessed the decline of coral reefs, the scary oxygenless dead zones of the Gulf of Mexico and the shocking implications of rising ocean acidity.