The author reveals the truth about real sea creatures that may have inspired many sailors' tales of terrible monsters.

Describes real-life sea creatures that may have inspired tales of sea monsters, discussing giant squid, manatees, and oarfish. Reprint.

A companion volume to the 3-D "Sea Monsters" film reveals the terrifying predators that lurked in the underwater Cretaceous world, in a volume that also profiles the scientists who study these ancient monsters and the technology that made the film possible.

The mythic creature expert and author of Phoenix takes readers through a bestiary of sea monsters featured on the famous 16th century map Carta Marina. In the sixteenth century, sea serpents, giant man-eating lobsters, and other monsters were thought to swim the waters of Norther Europe, threatening seafarers who ventured too far from shore. Thankfully, Scandinavian mariners had Olaus Magnus, who in 1539 charted these fantastic marine animals in his influential map of the Nordic countries, the Carta Marina. In Sea Monsters, mythologist Joseph Nigg brings readers face-to-face with these creatures and other magnificent components of Magnus’s map. Nearly two meters wide in total, the map’s nine wood-block panels comprise the largest and first realistic portrayal of the region. But in addition to its important geographic significance, Magnus’s map goes beyond cartography to scenes both domestic and mystic. Close to shore, Magnus shows humans interacting with common sea life—boats struggling to stay afloat, merchants trading, children swimming, and fisherman pulling lines. But from the offshore deeps rise some of the most terrifying sea creatures imaginable—like sea swine, whales as large as islands, and the Kraken. In this book, Nigg draws on Magnus’s own text to further describe and illuminate these inventive scenes and to flesh out the stories of the monsters. Sea Monsters is a stunning tour of a world that still holds many secrets for us land dwellers, who will forever be fascinated by reports of giant squid and the real-life creatures of the deep that have proven to be as bizarre and otherworldly as we have imagined for centuries. It is a gorgeous guide for enthusiasts of maps, monsters, and the mythic. “[A] beautiful new exploration of the Carta Marina.”—Wired

Immerse yourself in the fascinating stories of ten real-life sea monsters, the myths and legends surrounding them, their discoveries and how they survive today. Around the world, sailors from ancient times onwards have told stories of colossal, deep-sea creatures that capsized ships and terrorised crews. Far from home, and often venturing into the unknown, it's no wonder sailors put the dangers they faced down to the threat from sinister sea beasts. The oceans are mysterious places, and the deep-sea is one of the last places on Earth to be explored. So, while there may be no such thing as a sea serpent or mermaid, there are plenty of other weird and wonderful creatures lurking down there. Some of these real-life animals are the inspiration behind the sea monsters of myth. Others are so fantastical in their own right, it's difficult to believe that they actually exist. This book brings together 10 real-life sea monsters, with fascinating facts, figures and folklore. There are also tales of how these extraordinary creatures were discovered, and about their adaptations for surviving in the wild. This high-interest approach to the natural world shows the diversity of nature, evolution and adaptation and can be used to support the science curriculum study of living things at key stage two. Full-colour photographs combined with illustrations make this a beautiful and fascinating introduction to real-life sea monsters around the world.

Learn about the history of sea monsters in this photographic nonfiction leveled reader perfect for kids interested in the natural - and unnatural - world! Did you know that the legendary Hercules fought against the hydra, a sea monster with many heads? Or that the giant squid may not sink ships like the hydra, but it is still powerful enough to use its 30-foot-long tentacles to turn a whale into prey? That means that enormous creatures still lurk in the depths of the ocean! Embracing children's delight in the mythical creatures while also imparting fascinating facts about the real ones, discover the history of these special animals and decide for yourself if you believe in sea monsters! With simple language and vivid photographs, Are Sea Monsters Real? is perfect for emerging readers curious about the natural world and these legendary creatures.

The sea monsters on medieval and Renaissance maps, whether swimming vigorously, gamboling amid the waves, attacking ships, or simply displaying themselves for our appreciation, are one of the most visually engaging elements on these maps, and yet they have never been carefully studied. The subject is important not only in the history of cartography, art, and zoological illustration, but also in the history of the geography of the "marvelous" and of western conceptions of the ocean. Moreover, the sea monsters depicted on maps can supply important insights into the sources, influences, and methods of the cartographers who drew or painted them. In this highly-illustrated book the author analyzes the most important examples of sea monsters on medieval and Renaissance maps produced in Europe, beginning with the earliest mappaemundi on which they appear in the 10th century and continuing to the end of the 16th century.