The Last Unexplored Place on Earth

Dive into the world of Alvin the Submersible, as award-winning journalist Aly Brown shares the stories of what lies beneath the waves – from lost hydrogen bombs and underwater volcanoes to storied shipwrecks and hundreds of new species.

Humans have explored the far reaches of the globe, from the top of Mount Everest to Badwater Basin. But for most of our history, the ocean floor has remained a mystery. That began to change just 50 years ago, with the help of one amazing creation: Alvin the submersible.

This deep-sea vessel can descend miles beneath the ocean’s surface with a crew of three. Over the decades, Alvin has uncovered a treasure trove of discoveries – from top-secret military missions to astonishing scientific breakthroughs.

Aly Brown takes readers on a thrilling journey through Alvin’s history and missions, drawing on interviews, oral histories, and stunning archival photographs. With sidebars, simple experiments, and a focus on science, technology and exploration, this is an inspiring STEAM book for curious young minds.

Praise for The Last Unexplored Place on Earth

“This fascinating book gives the history of the Alvin sub and how its invention and upgrades have now made it possible to explore up to 99 percent of the ocean... not just about the sub, but about the scientists who have been lucky enough to ride in it and the discoveries they’ve made.”
– School Library Journal (starred review)

“Brown retraces Alvin’s storied career... vivid impressions of the exhilarating rewards... ‘Pretty neat!’ as the author puts it. Readers will agree.”
– Kirkus (starred review)

“This upbeat account... weaves in science and technology supported by judiciously placed sidebars, archival photographs, and simple experiments... Copious references round out this engaging STEAM offering.”
– Booklist

About the Author

Aly Brown is a novelist, newspaper copy editor and assistant managing editor, and award-winning journalist. By day she chases stories, edits page proofs and argues about coffee etiquette in newsrooms. By night, she escapes into her imagination to create new stories and worlds. Given her dual writing life, she is admittedly torn on her feelings about the Oxford comma.