Overview

Here is the essential guide to the earth sciences, an authoritative reference book and timeline that examines how we figured out how the world works — literally. That process has revealed how the planet formed from a disc of dust left behind by the young Sun. It showed how the surface of Earth is in constant — but slow — motion, driven by the same forces that result in devastating earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Geology has uncovered all this by studying the processes that shape Earth's crust today, here and now, and rewinding the clock to the distant past to retell the story of the planet. While geologists study rocks hard, oceanographers dive into the waters that cover most of Earth — the seabed is still more of a mystery than the surface of the Moon. Meteorologists monitor and model the atmosphere that cloaks the planet, offering a life-sustaining barrier between us and outer space, but for how much longer? Meanwhile planetary scientists focus their knowledge of earth sciences on other worlds using discoveries made down here to unlock the secrets of space. Will they find other planets like ours or is Earth very special indeed?

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9781627951425

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Reviews

Highlights of our historical study of what's happening in, on, and above Earth's surface. Jackson hangs this sumptuously produced overview on an expansive if arbitrary 100 topics or discoveries beginning with ancient celebrations marking the solstices and equinoxes and ending with a look at the next Mars rover. In between, he builds a roughly chronological picture of how scientific fields ranging from chemistry to seismology and paleontology developed over time and have helped us to understand geological processes, explore our planet and reconstruct its long history, measure and at least try to predict weather and natural disasters, and provide some clues to conditions on other worlds. Plentiful side boxes, period or later images, and finely detailed diagrams enhance the half to two-page entries. A big folded timeline poster tucked into a back pocket summarizes the contents and also expands on them by tracking select contemporaneous world cultural milestones. After pondering a few Imponderables such as whether climate is actually controllable and why the notion that Earth is flat just won't die, the author finally shovels in all sorts of useful back matter. Though he displays an overall parochialism reflected in a closing gallery of earth-science greats in which but three of the 23 are women, and only two not white, he crafts a grand tapestry of scientific thought and invention in action over many centuries. A rich, if patchwork, view of large-scale events and our evolving understanding of them. -- Kirkus Review, September 15, 2019

Author Information

Tom Jackson is a science writer based in the United Kingdom. Tom specializes in recasting science and technology into lively historical narratives. After almost 20 years of writing, Tom has uncovered a wealth of stories that help create new ways to enjoy learning about science. He studied at the University of Bristol and still lives in the city with his wife and three children.

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