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Around 30 years ago, two things happened that were to revolutionize the understanding of our home planet. First, geologists realized that the continents themselves were drifting across the surface of the globe and that oceans were being created and destroyed. Secondly, pictures of the entire planet were returned from space. Suddenly, the Earth began to be viewed as a single entity; a dynamic, interacting whole, controlled by complex processes we scarcely understood. This introduction is an all-encompassing look at the Earth: how it was formed and how it works. It explores the emerging geological research and explains how new advances in the understanding of plate tectonics, seismology, and satellite imagery have enabled us to begin to see the Earth for what it is, a dynamic and ever changing planet. It introduces the concepts of plate tectonics, continental drift, the earth's structure, and sea-floor spreading.
160 pages; 23 b/w illus.; 4-1/2 x 7; 0-19-280307-7Our review: "When I came across this little book for the first time in Bookshop Santa Cruz I almost paid full retail for it! I did go straight to the shop and order a bunch of copies. I'm not disappointed. Earth : A Very Short Introduction has become an instant favorite and one of my must have recommendations. Here's a little pocket size book that you can carry with you just about anywhere. It has great coverage of the principles of geology and is presented in a narrative style. This is a fun read, not a dry geological text."
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