Synopses & Reviews
In a landmark work of science two distinguished scientists offer a vivid narrative describing the second half of the life of our planet Planet Earth is middle-aged. Science has worked hard to piece together the story of the evolution of our world up to this point, but only recently have we developed the understanding and the tools to describe the entire life cycle of a planet-of our planet.
Peter Ward and Don Brownlee, a geologist and an astronomer respectively, are in the vanguard of the new field of astrobiology. Combining their knowledge of how the critical sustaining systems of our planet evolve through time with their understanding of how stars and solar systems grow and change throughout their own life cycles, the authors tell the story of the second half of Earth's life. The process of planetary evolution will essentially reverse itself; life as we know it will subside until only the simplest forms remain. Eventually, they too will disappear. The oceans will evaporate, the atmosphere will degrade, and, as the sun slowly expands, Earth itself will eventually meet a fiery end.
In this masterful melding of groundbreaking research and captivating, eloquent science writing, Ward and Brownlee provide a comprehensive portrait of Earth's life cycle that allows us to understand and appreciate how the planet sustains itself today, and offers us a glimpse of our place in the cosmic order.
Review
"[It] deftly bring[s] together findings from many disparate areas of science in a book that science buffs will find hard to put down." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Fascinating." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Provocative." The Washington Post
Review
"This is a book that makes one shiver, but also inspires one to wonder how humainty (if we survive in the short term) will fare in the more distant future." Oliver Sacks
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"Ward and Brownlee have introduced the emerging science of astrobiology as a field that is important, exciting, and fun." David H. Levy, discoverer of twenty-one comets, including Shoemaker-Levy 9
Synopsis
Science has worked hard to piece together the story of the evolution of our world up to this point, but only recently have we developed the understanding and the tools to describe the entire life cycle of our planet.
Peter D. Ward and Donald Brownlee, a geologist and an astronomer respectively, are in the vanguard of the new field of astrobiology. Combining their knowledge of how the critical sustaining systems of our planet evolve through time with their understanding of how stars and solar systems grow and change throughout their own life cycles, the authors tell the story of the second half of Earth's life. In this masterful melding of groundbreaking research and captivating, eloquent science writing, Ward and Brownlee provide a comprehensive portrait of Earth's life cycle that allows us to understand and appreciate how the planet sustains itself today, and offers us a glimpse of our place in the cosmic order.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [215]-226) and index.
Synopsis
“They deftly bring together findings from many disparate areas of science in a book that science buffs will find hard to put down.” —Publishers Weekly Science has worked hard to piece together the story of the evolution of our world up to this point, but only recently have we developed the understanding and the tools to describe the entire life cycle of our planet. Peter D. Ward and Donald Brownlee, a geologist and an astronomer respectively, are in the vanguard of the new field of astrobiology. Combining their knowledge of how the critical sustaining systems of our planet evolve through time with their understanding of how stars and solar systems grow and change throughout their own life cycles, the authors tell the story of the second half of Earths life. In this masterful melding of groundbreaking research and captivating, eloquent science writing, Ward and Brownlee provide a comprehensive portrait of Earths life cycle that allows us to understand and appreciate how the planet sustains itself today, and offers us a glimpse of our place in the cosmic order.
About the Author
Peter D. Ward and
Donald Brownlee are the co-authors of the acclaimed and bestselling
Rare Earth. Ward is a professor of geological science and zoology at the University of Washington and the author of nine other books, including
Future Evolution, T
he Call of Distant Mammoths, and
The End of Evolution, which was a finalist for the
Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Brownlee is a professor of astronomy at the University of Washington.