In this fascinating conversation, ocean physicist Helen Czerski explores the ocean not as an empty void, but as a dynamic “blue machine” that powers Earth’s climate, ecosystems, and even human civilization. Speaking from Hawaiʻi — a place where the ocean shapes culture, identity, and daily life — Czerski explains the hidden physics behind waves, currents, salt, sound, bubbles, and ocean circulation.
The discussion moves from Greenland sharks and whale communication to phytoplankton, concrete, climate change, and the astonishing complexity of marine ecosystems. Along the way, Czerski reflects on Hawaiian voyaging traditions, Hokuleʻa, and the relationship between scientific knowledge and Indigenous navigation.
Blending science, storytelling, curiosity, and wonder, this episode reveals why understanding the ocean is essential not only for confronting climate change, but for appreciating the living systems that make our world possible.
Physicist and oceanographer Helen Czerski is a professor of mechanical engineering at University College London, a science presenter for BBC documentaries, and co-host of Rare Earth on BBC Radio. She is the author of The Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World.
Robert Perkinson is an associate professor of American Studies and the director of the Better Tomorrow Speaker Series. His book, Texas Tough: The Rise of America’s Prison Empire, won the John Kenneth Galbraith Award.
Producer: Willow Hutchison
Sound Engineer: Leandro Nuckols
The Better Tomorrow Speaker Series features incisive conversations on the most pressing issues of our time. The series is a joint venture of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, the Learning Coalition, and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. It is administered by the College of Arts, Languages, and Letters and in cooperation with the UH Foundation.
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