We post “Future Knowledge of Life in Oceans Past”, the published version of Jesse’s opening speech to the October 2005 Census of Marine Life conference on Oceans Past (see What’s New 25 October 2005). Congratulations to David Starkey, Poul Holm, and Michaela Barnard and the History of Marine Animal Populations community on completing the book (Oceans Past: Management Insights from the History of Marine Animal Populations, D. J. Starkey, P. Holm, and M. Barnard, eds., Earthscan, London and Sterling VA, 2008).