James Lovelock et al: The Earth and I

“We are buried beneath mountains of fast-accumulating data. In such circumstances, this book, rather than adding to the data load, aims to offer real understanding.” —James Lovelock

Human beings are extraordinary creatures. Intelligent, agile, and curious, we have adapted and invented our way to becoming the most important species on the planet. So great is the extent of our influence, that many speak of a new geological era, the Anthropocene, an age defined by human-induced change to the blue and green globe we call home.

Our lofty status comes with responsibility as much as possibility: How should we approach our present and future? What knowledge should we carry with us? Conceived by James Lovelock, inventor of the Gaia theory, this illustrated essay collection brings together an all-star lineup of thinkers and scientists to offer essential understanding about who we are, how we live, and where we might be going.

Much as the Gaia theory considers our Earth as an integrated whole of living systems, The Earth and I encourages holistic understanding. Across 12 chapters, we take in both the intricate details and immense structures of our species and our planet, from our ever-expanding universe to our minuscule but mighty cells. We see stellar explosions and the layers of life beneath our feet, delve into the neuroscience of decision-making, get to grips with our climate, and contemplate our increasing intimacy with technology.

The book’s world-class contributors include quantum physicist Lisa Randall, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, Pulitzer Prize–winning biologist Edward O. Wilson, and Nobel Prize–winning neuroscientist Eric Kandel. With lively illustrations from British artist Jack Hudson, the result is an inspiration for curious minds young and old, and a trusted tool kit for an informed and enlightened future.

Martin Rees is the UK Astronomer Royal and Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge. He has authored or co-authored more than 500 research papers and eight books, with special interests in high-energy astrophysics and early generation of stars and galaxies. Rees’s international awards include the Balzan Prize and the World Cultural Council’s Einstein Award.

Lisa Randall is Professor of Science at Harvard University and a leading expert on particle physics and cosmology. Her research focuses in particular on extra dimensions of space. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was on the list of Time Magazine's “100 Most Influential People” of 2007.

Lee R. Kump is Professor and Departmental Head of Geosciences at Penn State. He is a fellow of the Geological Societies of America and London and an affiliate of the NASA Astrobiology Institute and Penn State’s Earth System Science Center. In 2000, he was awarded the Geological Society of America’s Distinguished Service Medal.

Tim Radford is a freelance journalist and former science editor of The Guardian. He won the Association of British Science Writers’ science writer of the year award four times and a lifetime achievement award in 2005. He is an honorary fellow of the British Science Association and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Vicky Pope is Head of Integration and Growth at the UK Met Office. She was a founding member of the Hadley Centre, set up in 1990 to provide climate predictions to underpin government policy, and served on the Global Environmental Change Committee between 2005–10.