Planet Earth: Cosmology, Geology, and the Evolution of Life and Environment

By Cesare Emiliani

Book Overview

The next few decades are likely to witness deep environmental crises, crises we will be able to cope with only through a clear understanding of the complex, delicate system of which we are part. Fortunately, the great advances made in all fields of science since World War II make it possible to reconstruct the entire life history of the world we live in, from the Big Bang to the present, and thus to understand how the system works. This book presents a global picture of our world - how it originated, how it evolved, how it works - and provides the background necessary to assess ways to stabilize it. Although the science is rigorous and quantitative, the book is written in an informal style and is readily accessible to anyone with a knowledge of high-school algebra.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B008Y0DVJA
• ISBN13: 9780521409490
• Release Date: August 1992
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 736 Pages
• Weight: 2.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 7.1" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

The Text For My Dream Earth Science Course.

At this point in history, I teach a college preparatory course in earth science to 9th graders in northern Orange County, California. I don't have my MS [didn't finish my research or write my thesis], so I won't be teaching a basic earth science course at a junior college anytime soon. And even if the College Board okays an AP Geology course, I doubt this book will wind up on the approved text list. However, I can dream. If I could teach the senior high school level or freshman junior college level earth science course of my dreams, Planet Earth by Cesare Emiliani would be my text. This is a physical geology/earth science/earth system science book for smart students. Emiliani pulls no punches, includes lots of equations, asks open-ended questions and shows an excellent wit. All the pictures/drawings/diagrams are in black and white, so if you've got students who need lots of Kodachrome to excite them, this isn't the text for you. It's a quirky, unique text. It's not like any of the other basic earth science texts out there and bears the personal touches of its author. I read it for fun and inspiration and would definitely recommend it for the interested nonscientist. I know it's a paperback, but it is worth every penny you pay for it. Get a copy for your reference shelf today! And maybe you'll teach my dream course before I do.