This is an outstanding overview of the history of the Earth from a unique planetary perspective for introductory courses in the earth sciences. The book approaches Earth history as an evolution, encompassing the origin of the cosmos through the inner working of living cells. Earth: Evolution of a Habitable World tells how the Earth has come to its present state, why it differs from its neighboring planets, what life's place is in Earth's history, and how humanity affects the processes that make our planet liveable. Today's human influences are contemplated in the context of natural changes on Earth. The text considers the burning issues in our quest to understand the Earth. It shows how the myriad disciplines of science are interwoven to understand our world and its sister planets. It points the way to how science and engineering must be applied to today's challenges if humankind is to have a promising future on Earth. This book brings a fresh perspective to the study of the Earth for students who wish to learn how our planet evolved to its present form.
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Illustrationen
175 b/w illus. 8 colour illus. 3 tables
ISBN-13
978-1-139-17434-3 (9781139174343)
Schweitzer Klassifikation
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.
