In this lively expedition into the origins, evolution, and workings of our
planet, John Gribbin does what he does best: gathers 4.5 billion years of
geological history and shares the best bits. Taking an astronomer s perspective,
Gribbin follows Earth s development from its beginnings in cosmic gas and dust
to the explosion of human life after the last ice age, combining stories of
scientific discovery with gripping accounts of geological activity earthquakes,
volcanoes, and climate change. Along the journey we consider Lord Kelvin s
time-scale for the life of the sun; the meteorologist who first championed the
idea of continental drift; and an intriguing proposal that