Ocean State Libraries

The story of our home planet and the organisms spread across its surface is far more spectacular than any Hollywood blockbuster, filled with enough plot twists to rival a bestselling thriller. But only recently have we begun to piece together the whole mystery into a coherent narrative. Drawing on his decades of field research and up-to-the-minute understanding of the latest science, geologist Andrew H. Knoll delivers a biography of Earth, charting...

This exhilarating survey of the four and half billion years of Earth's history charts both the geological and biological history of the planet. It moves from the origin of the earth's iron core to the formation of today's seven continents, and from the primordial building blocks of life to the evolution of the human form.

Discusses the origins of the Earth, the chemistry of life, the origin of life in the seas, and the history of life on land fromthe first plants to the emergence of mammals and man.

"Examines Earth's origin from simple atoms that were created in the big bang, transformed into heavy elements in stellar explosions, then forged into a planet inside the nebula that gave birth to the solar system. Like many other planets, Earth went through phases of melting, volcanism, and bombardment by asteroids. But only on Earth did events lead to a flourishing biosphere--life. And once life was established, it drove the evolution of our planet...

"Mighty, elemental forces, fiery eruptions, titanic floods, the grinding of great ice sheets, and massive impacts from space molded North America. This spectacular road trip through our nation's tumultuous past sets out to answer three fundamental questions: How was the continent built? How did life evolve here? And how has its spectacular landscape shaped human lives and destinies?" --