MeetMarieTharp(1920-2006),thefirstpersontomaptheEarth’sunderwatermountainridge,inthisinspiringpicturebookbiographyfromtheauthorofSharkLady.Fromayoungage,MarieTharplovedwatchingtheworld.Shelovedsolvingproblems.Andshelovedpushingthelimitsofwhatgirlsandwomenwereexpectedtodoandbe.Inthemid-twentiethcentury,womenwerenotwelcomeinthesciences,butMariewastenacious.ShegotajobatalaboratoryinNewYork.Butthenshefacedanotherbarrior:womenwerenotallowedontheresearchships(theywereconsideredbadluckonboats).Soinstead,Mariestayedbackanddovedeepintothedatahercolleaguesrecorded.Shemappedpointafterpointandslowlyrevealedadeepriftvalleyintheoceanfloor.Atfirstthescientificcommunityrefusedtobelieveher,butherevidencewasirrefutable.Sheprovedtotheworldthatherresearchwascorrect.Themid-oceanridgethatMariediscoveredisthesinglelargestgeographicfeatureontheplanet,andshemappeditallfromhersmall,crampedoffice.
