The Story of the Earth - Softcover

9780521324137: The Story of the Earth
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The Story of the Earth presents the complex history of the Earth from its formation through to the emergence of man and his influence on the planet. Peter Cattermole and Patrick Moore trace the evolution of Earth from its beginnings in the primeval Solar Nebula, through its bombardment by cosmic particles, continental drifting and the formation of mountains and oceans, and end with a study of the last Ice Age and the rise of man. While the approach is roughly chronological, time is spent in explaining some of the methods that geologists, physicists, chemists and biologists use to discover what processes have contributed to the internal make-up and external appearance of our unique planet. Accounts are included of the dramatic events that are still changing the face of the Earth: volcanoes and photographs - several taken from orbiting satelites - help to elucidate the story.

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Review:
Building Planet Earth superbly illustrates and describes the geology of Earth; how it formed, became structured, and evolved into the planet as we know it, with its present distribution of continents, oceans, and dazzling diversity of life. This 4.6 billion-year history of the third rock from the sun is an extraordinary story, and understanding Earth's main geological processes has become increasingly important for ensuring our future on this crowded planet.

Designed for the general reader, Building Planet Earth explains these fundamental Earth processes: how the atmosphere interacts with the oceans to produce our changing climates; how the heat from the Earth's central core drives surface processes, such as plate tectonics with its related earthquakes, fault movements, and volcanism; how mountains are formed and sediments deposited to form layers of strata, including the economically important hydrocarbons that fueled the industrial revolution; and how life prospered and declined through evolution and extinction, sometimes being abruptly terminated by catastrophic events from outer space. The combination of good graphics, artwork, and photographic illustration makes this a visually attractive, accessible read, complete with short bibliography, glossary, and index. --Douglas Palmer, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description:
Continental plates move as fast as human hair grows. Plates collide, mountains buckle, the ocean abyss sucks in Earth's crust, volcanoes explode, as over millions of years the cycles of geological destruction and renewal are played out. Climate changes and cosmic impacts cause mass extinctions. The Story of the Earth describes the evolution of our complex planet and answers many questions. How did Earth form from debris orbiting the Sun? What created its layered rocks? What is driving climate change? What is the history of the ground beneath your feet?

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  • PublisherCambridge University Press
  • Publication date1986
  • ISBN 10 0521324130
  • ISBN 13 9780521324137
  • BindingPaperback
  • Number of pages36

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