In this revised edition of this award-winning book on the Earth's history, the author expands and updates the original text. The book examines the major changes in the Earth's history - the evolution of the solid Earth, the changing oceans and atmospheres and the progression of life - to render an historical account of the Earth's evolution.
Part I. Foundations: 1. Reading the record of the rocks; 2. Perspective on time; Part II. Climate Past and Present: The Ice Age: 3. Climate and climate change; 4. Portrait of an ice age; 5. Explaining glaciations; Part III. Drifting Continents, Rising Mountains: 6. Continental drift and plate tectonics; 7. Continental breakup and continental drift; 8. Converging plates and colliding continents; Part IV. Changing Oceans, Changing Climates: 9. The sea comes in, the sea goes out; 10. Other times and other oceans; 11. Onward to the ice age; 12. A matter of rhythm; Part V. The Four-Billion-Year Childhood: 13. Birth of the solid earth; 14. Water for the sea, air for the atmosphere; 15, The dawn of life; Part VI. Life, Time and Change: 16. Beyond Darwin; 17. Bones of our ancestors; 18. Evolution and environment; 19. Crises and catastrophes.
' a chatty account of Earth evolution ... It deserves to become a classic.' New Scientist 'This book is certainly enjoyable to read and it covers the subject at the right pace and overall to exactly the depth needed for the reader for whom it is written ... It should be a necessity for any introductory earth science course. I thoroughly recommend it.' Geoscientist Review from 1st edition 'Professor van Andel writes in a very clear concise style, conveying ideas by use of clever and original analogies, frequently injected with a little humour whenever things start to become a bit too abstruse.' Modern Geology