Overview

This is an intelligent look at the invaluable contribution geology has made to our understanding of climate change. In the publicity surrounding global warming, climate scientists are usually the experts consulted by the media. We rarely hear from geologists, who for almost 200 years have been studying the history of Earth's dramatic and repeated climate revolutions, as revealed in the evidence of rocks and landscapes. This volume describes the important contributions that geology has made to our understanding of climate change. What emerges is a much more complex and nuanced picture than we usually see. Authoritative yet accessible. ""The Whole Story of Climate Change"" is essential reading for understanding on of the world's most important contemporary debates.

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9781616146726

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Reviews

Modern geology has shown that the only constant is change. Professor Peters's book - indispensable to those interested in climate change - takes the general reader on an elegantly written and engaging intellectual adventure into the history of the curious and clever ways that modern scientists have been able to construct a precise and richly detailed picture of the often-rapid variations of Earth's climate. No matter your attitude toward the climate-change controversy, this book will prove enlightening and valuable. <br>- Jerry B. Gough, Emeritus professor, history of science, Washington State University<br><br><br> In her previous books, E. Kirsten Peters demonstrated that she can explain concepts in science to anyone who is hungry to understand how things work. In this book she uses the geologic record to inform us that rapid changes in global climate have happened before, and we are witnessing the latest one. She also examines the uncertainties of the data and helps us understand how they are used or misused in the climate-change debates. <br>- Lincoln S. Hollister, Professor emeritus, Department of Geosciences, Princeton University<br><br><br> This book opens new ground on the climate-change debate. . . . Instead of reading like a textbook, The Whole Story of Climate has biographical portraits of the major discoverers of climate indicators along with the circumstances of their discoveries. [Peters] points out that some of these climate changes were surprisingly rapid. In addition to telling the history, she includes some recommendations for future actions. . . . It isn't just global warming. We live in the midst of a set of Ice Ages. Instead of focusing narrowly on atmospheric carbon dioxide, we need to see it as a part of a larger problem. <br>- Kenneth Deffeyes, Emeritus professor of geology, Princeton University

""""This brilliant, engaging book will change the way one looks at the climate/global warming debate, climate change and climate science, human versus nonhuman drivers of climate change, and the implications of global warming/cooling for humans and societies.... Peters is thoughtful, thorough, and relentless... Essential.""--Choice""A brilliant volume, unearthing new insight and churning the waters for a deeper hue and a better understanding of our dynamic world.""--San Francisco Book Review""What to make of [confusing information on climate change]? Well, we laypersons can't make much of it at all, because we lack the knowledge to place the data in context. Luckily, for those really interested, a solution is available.""--Philadelphia Inquirer""Modern geology has shown that the only constant is change. Peters's book - indispensable to those interested in climate change - takes the general reader on an elegantly written and engaging intellectual adventure into the history of the curious and clever ways that modern scientists have been able to construct a precise and richly detailed picture of the often-rapid variations of Earth's climate. No matter your attitude toward the climate-change controversy, this book will prove enlightening and valuable.""--Jerry B. Gough, Emeritus professor, history of science, Washington State University

Author Information

E. Kirsten Peters is a successful author and a former geology lecturer. She currently writes science related articles for a number of publications.

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