Dedication; Preface; Part I. The Astronomical Planet: Earth's Place In The Cosmos: 1. Structure of the Universe and a brief tour of the solar system; 2. The largest and smallest scales; 3. Forces and energy; 4. Fusion, fission, sunlight and element formation; Part II. The Measurable Planet: 5. Determination of cosmic and terrestrial ages; 6. Some other uses of isotopes for Earth history; 7. Relative age dating of cosmic and terrestrial events: the cratering record; 8. Relative age dating of terrestrial events: geologic layering and geologic time; 9. Plate tectonics: an introduction to the process; Part III. The Historical Planet: Earth and Solar System Through Time: 10. Formation of the solar system; 11. The hadean Earth; 12. The Archean eon and the origin of life: I; 13. The Archean eon and the origin of life: II; 14. The first greenhouse crisis: the faint early Sun; 15. The climate histories of Mars and Venus, and the habitability of planets; 16. Earth in transition: from the Archean to the Proterozoic; 17. The oxygen revolution; 18. The Phanerozoic: flowering and extinction of complex life; 19. Climate change across the Phanerozoic; 20. Toward the age of humankind; Part IV. The Once and Future Planet: 21. Climate change over the past 100,000 years; 22. Human-induced global warming; 23. Limited resources: the human dilemma; 24. Coda: the once and future Earth.
This textbook is an outstanding overview of the history of the Earth from a unique planetary perspective for introductory courses in the earth sciences.
'... I am aware of no other book on this subject with the breadth, depth, and accuracy of Earth: Evolution of a Habitable World.' Professor Michael Drake, University of Arizona 'Earth: Evolution of a Habitable World is thrilling reading ... The mastery of this text will give the reader new perspectives on the interaction between the evolution of Earth and life, life's place in the Universe, how it might have started, and where it might be going.' Richard N. Zare, Stanford University '... the book is, in many respects, a tour de force ... a remarkably broad-visioned treatment of the origin and evolution of Earth ... I believe this to be an outstanding book.' Professor Eugene H. Levy, University of Arizona ' ... an excellent, up-to-date introduction'. New Scientist 'The book is splendidly illustrated with copious figures and diagrams. It provides what is perhaps the best currently available overview of the long and still continuing story of the Earth. Anyone even remotely interested in planetary science should have a copy of this book on their shelf.' R. L. S. Taylor, Spaceflight ' ... splendidly illustrated with copious figures and diagrams. It provides what is perhaps the best currently available overview of the long and still continuing story of the Earth. Anyone even remotely interested in planetary science should have a copy of this book on their shelf'. Spaceflight 'Lunine's Earth: Evolution of a Habitable World provides an excellent, up-to-date introduction to this way of looking at our world. It should prove attractive to the new generation of cosmological rock enthusiasts.' New Scientist ' ... the book is an interesting and fascinating novelty.' Earth, Moon and Planets '... this book is easy to read but it should also appeal to non-science students who are interested in the Earth on which they live.' Elizabeth Maddocks, The Open University Geological Society
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