History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth (Princeton Science Library)

Average customer rating:

Highly enlightening, balanced, clear, and thoughtful
Excellent introduction to early earth geology
Tremendous fun
Evolutionary page-turner
Life on a Planet

Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth (Princeton Science Library)
Andrew H. Knoll
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691009783

Book Description

Australopithecines, dinosaurs, trilobites--such fossils conjure up images of lost worlds filled with vanished organisms. But in the full history of life, ancient animals, even the trilobites, form only the half-billion-year tip of a nearly four-billion-year iceberg. Andrew Knoll explores the deep history of life from its origins on a young planet to the incredible Cambrian explosion, presenting a compelling new explanation for the emergence of biological novelty.

The very latest discoveries in paleontology--many of them made by the author and his students--are integrated with emerging insights from molecular biology and earth system science to forge a broad understanding of how the biological diversity that surrounds us came to be. Moving from Siberia to Namibia to the Bahamas, Knoll shows how life and environment have evolved together through Earth's history. Innovations in biology have helped shape our air and oceans, and, just as surely, environmental change has influenced the course of evolution, repeatedly closing off opportunities for some species while opening avenues for others.

Readers go into the field to confront fossils, enter the lab to discern the inner workings of cells, and alight on Mars to ask how our terrestrial experience can guide exploration for life beyond our planet. Along the way, Knoll brings us up-to-date on some of science's hottest questions, from the oldest fossils and claims of life beyond the Earth to the hypothesis of global glaciation and Knoll's own unifying concept of ''permissive ecology.''

In laying bare Earth's deepest biological roots, Life on a Young Planet helps us understand our own place in the universe--and our responsibility as stewards of a world four billion years in the making.

Customer Reviews:

Highly enlightening, balanced, clear, and thoughtful.......2007-09-08

Want to know about the earliest living things? Read this book. The writing style is direct but lively with appropriate allusions to popular culture. Some of the topics are highly controversial and Knoll does a great job of telling you the relevant facts so you can reach your own opinion. For this alone, I would give the book 10 stars if I could. Still I wish it had more illustrations and a better description of how research is conducted and how rocks are analyzed. Potential readers should be warned that Knoll assumes the reader is generally knowledgeable about Biology and scientific terminology.

Excellent introduction to early earth geology.......2007-03-18

Well written and complete. Could have used a glossery.

Tremendous fun.......2007-03-17

A lively account of the first three billion years of life, starting from the first chemical traces of biological activity and ending with the Cambrian explosion of fossil forms.

Knoll introduces each key geological period with an account of a visit to a site with relevant exposed strata, followed by a careful description of the geological and chemical analysis of the strata and the biological implications. This is particularly interesting for the oldest sites where geologists and biologists must work from limited chemical traces and faint shapes.

Knoll is willing to become fairly technical, especially in explaining the various interactions between biological processes and ocean chemistry and geology. But his explanations are well written and lively throughout.

Overall I found this tremendous fun to read, with a good balance between interesting anecdotes, detailed facts, and the broad evolutionary picture.

Evolutionary page-turner.......2007-03-16

This is a wonderfully well-written book that details the development of life from its earliest indications through the Cambrian radiation that set the pattern for the living things we know. Surprisingly, it is a compelling read, the sort of book that keeps you up late so you can find out how it ends. Makes you appreciate the miracle of life!

Life on a Planet.......2007-02-19

This is really a great book. Truly inter(trans) disciplinary, measured and still visionary.
If you read this and Lynn Margulis/Dorion Sagan What is Life? You cannot miss the awe around you nor real appreciation for your geneology--i.e. the microbes.

Rare Earth: Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe

Average customer rating:

Tectonic plates balance Greenhouse gases
Yes, but....
history of earth is fine, but left out the present and future
Dodges the real issues
Well thought out

Rare Earth: Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe
Peter Ward , and Donald Brownlee
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0387952896

Amazon.com

"Do you feel lucky? Well do ya?" asked Dirty Harry. Paleontologist Peter Ward and astronomer Donald Brownlee think all of us should feel lucky. Their rare Earth hypothesis predicts that while simple, microbial life will be very widespread in the universe, complex animal or plant life will be extremely rare. Ward and Brownlee admit that "It is very difficult to do statistics with an N of 1. But in our defense, we have staked out a position rarely articulated but increasingly accepted by many astrobiologists."

Their new science

is the field of biology ratcheted up to encompass not just life on Earth but also life beyond Earth. It forces us to reconsider the life of our planet as but a single example of how life might work, rather than as the only example.

The revolution in astrobiology during the 1990s was twofold. First, scientists grew to appreciate how incredibly robust microbial life can be, found in the superheated water of deep-sea vents, pools of acid, or even within the crust of the Earth itself. The chance of finding such simple life on other bodies in our solar system has never seemed more realistic. But second, scientists have begun to appreciate how many unusual factors have cooperated to make Earth a congenial home for animal life: Jupiter's stable orbit, the presence of the Moon, plate tectonics, just the right amount of water, the right position in the right sort of galaxy. Ward and Brownlee make a convincing if depressing case for their hypothesis, undermining the principle of mediocrity (or, "Earth isn't all that special") that has ruled astronomy since Copernicus. --Mary Ellen Curtin

Book Description

The sweeping diversity of complex life on Earth, Ward and Brownlee argue, evolved out of an extraordinary set of physical conditions and chance events that would be extremely hard to duplicate––though not impossible. Many planets throughout the vastness of the Universe may be teeming with microbial life, but advancement beyond this stage is very rare. Everyone with an interest in the possible extent of life in the Universe and the nature of life's evolution on our own planet will be fascinated by Rare Earth. "...likely to cause a revolution in thinking..." The New York Times "...[the book] has hit the world of astrobiologists like a killer asteroid..." Newsday (New York) "...a sobering and valuable perspective..." Science "...a startling new hypothesis..." Library Journal "...Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee offer a powerful argument..." The Economist "...provocative, significant, and sweeping..." Northwest Science & Technology "...a stellar example of clear writing..." American Scientist

Customer Reviews:

Tectonic plates balance Greenhouse gases.......2007-08-31

Earth is the only planet with tectonic plates. Earth possesses water, the universal solvent and indispensable for life. Earth's mountains occur in chains. The giant mountains are Mars were created by volcanos. There is no equivalent to the Rockies, the Andes, the Himalyas, or the score of linear mountain chains. The process, the movement of planetary crust across the surface of the planet, is found in our solar system only on Earth.

Tectonic plates provide a wide range of biodiversity. The defense against mass extinction is diversity. Second, the tectonic plates provide our global thermostat by recycling chemical crucial to keeping the volume of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere relatively uniform. Third, plate tectonics is the dominate force that cause changes in sea levels, which in turn, are vital to the formation of minerals that keep the level of global carbon dioxide in check. Fourth, plate tectonics create continents on the earth. And finally, plate tectonics make possible the earth's magnetic field, the protection against cosmic radiation.

All the continents are masses of relatively low-density rock embedded in ground mass of more dense material. The low density rock have the average composition of granites, whereas, the higher density rocks that make up the ocean crust are basaltic in composition. Because granite is less dense than basalt, the granite rich continents float on a thin bed of basalt. The earth inner core is radioactive and generates heat deep inside the earth. As this heat rise toward the surface, it creates gigantic cells of hot, liquid rock in the mantle. The mantle rises, moves parallel with the surface for great distance, and then, cooled, settles back down into the depths. The upper mantle has a convection behavior. The mantle convects in the manner of liquid because the movement is so slow, and the temperatures so high, that the individual crystals have time to deform in response to stress.

Volcanos occur along subduction zones. The total are of the oceanic plates have decreased over time and the area of the continental plates has grown. The ocean crust can sink and be remelted back to magma. Whereas, the lighter continental crust remains afloat like a cork on the sea.

Plate tectonics promote environmental complexity and thus increase biodiversity. "Changes in continental position would affect ocean currents, temperature, seasonal rainfall patterns and fluctuations, the distribution of nutrients, and patterns of biological productivity." 2/3 of all animal species live on land. There are between 3 and 30 million plant and animal species alive today.

Volcanos recycle CO2 into the atmosphere. CO2 is stored in Limestone at the bottom of the ocean. The Limestone moves into subduction channels and is recycle through volcanic activity into the atmosphere. A temperature of 4-40 C is suitable for life and must be maintained. Greenhouse gases include: H20, O3, CO2, CH4 and are capable of capturing infrared energy from the earth's surface, in so doing, warm the planet. Oxygen and Nitrogen do not capture energy. However, suppose the oceans froze, this would cause an insufficient amount of CO2 generated for life to exist. CO2 constitutes on 0.035% of the atmosphere. Plate tectonics play an important role in maintaining levels of greenhouse gases. The water on the earth is .05% by weight. The maintenance of liquid water is controlled by global temperatures. The temperature of the earth is controlled by the amount of energy coming from the sun and how much energy is absorbed by the planet and how fast the greenhouse gases are replenished. If the green house gases are not replenished the earth will grow colder. "On a planet with volcanism there is usually an abundance of greenhouse gases, too much in some cases" - from both active and dormant volcanos.

Yes, but...........2007-08-13

Good book. Good recap of history of the planet and of our knowledge of the development of life on it.

Nice to read a work in which the pragmatism of the geologist tempers for theory of the astronomer. Good to read that there remain many things the authors don't or cannot know. That's life. Much better, so much better, than reading the nonsense posing as science that astrophysicists churn out when THEY don't know something.

From that maelstrom of 200 + IQs we get such nonsense as string theory and the big bang......but I don't recall once reading in this book how everything we observe out billions of light years all started as an infintesimal point .

I stopped reading astronomy books twenty years ago when I learned that those more intelligent than I had concluded that galaxies were held in place by strings of matter unimaginably strong etc. None of that bull in this book. Very pragmatic.

good show guys. I think we are alone in this little slice of time.

history of earth is fine, but left out the present and future.......2007-04-29

I gave this book 3 stars because it did not continue to go anywhere. Apparently the authors haven't spent as much time studying and keeping up with the subject of Extraterrstrials/UFOs. There is a wealth of information on the subject as a whold and they seemed to ignore it. I have a hard time beleiving that we are the only ones in the universe. We don't know how much is out there, and probably never will. But the UFO question is real and cannot dismiss it with it's available history.

Dodges the real issues.......2007-01-14

The authors theorize that because primitive life apparently (based on scientific evidence) began early in the earth's history that it is likely universal (and may have bounced around from Mars to earth). Once they accept this as a given the rest of the book is about how many factors are uniquely involved to accomodate complex life.

This approach glosses over two critical issues.

(1) All life on earth is based on the genetic code right down to 'simple' (structurally) viruses (from this point of view it is 'universal'; i.e. all life as we know it). The DNA and RNA processes of the genome are far too complex to arise spontaneously, whether here or from Mars. Modern science suggests that there must be a prebiotic evolution with a DNA precursor. The authors mention a number of theories including the popular "RNA World" theory where the RNA performed all of the necessary functions. However no one has successfully modeled this so it is only a hypothesis bordering on pure speculation. RNA specialist Gerald Joyce has gone so far as to say "The most reasonable assumption is that life did not start with RNA...The transition to an RNA world, like the origins of life in general, is fraught with uncertainty and is plagued by a lack of experimental data." The authors' distinction between 'simple' and 'complex' life from a scientific viewpoint is misguided. The critical first step or 'prebiotic phase' is so far unexplainable and applies to all life. As the authors of a recent unpublished paper (available on the web like many articles) state "The information crisis in prebiotic or chemical evolution stems essentially from two observations: (i) the length of a replicating polymer (i.e. RNA-like template) is limited by the replication accuracy per nucleotide, and (ii) templates that differ significantly from each other cannot coexist in a purely competitive setup. Realistic estimates of the error rate of primitive replication mechanisms predict too scanty information content per template - less than 100 nucleotides - to permit the complete codification of the mechanism in just one template."

(2) The earth clearly evolved over time from an original molten mass so one might well expect that as it cooled and water formed that more structurally complex life evolved with it (even if the prebiotic phase is universal). For those interested in the evolution they would be better educated by a book on Evolutionary Dynamics that does not, by a bunch of 'hand waving', spend time speculating about the qualitative effects of the moon on tides and Jupitor on asteroids. There is lots of science on the evolution of complexity and how it can work as opposed to not work. This is not to deny that life in the universe maybe very rare, but this is apparent from our telescopes and the very complexity of the much misunderstood first prebiotic steps. However the inference that these first steps can be taken for granted is not science.

Well thought out.......2006-11-04

A good book about the different "types" of life on earth and the necessary supporting ecosystems. Even though the book would be considered about astrobiology, much of it is about Earth and it's diversity of life.

Whether you agree with the authors or not, there is a lot of information of interest in the book.

The Emerald Planet: How Plants Changed Earth's History

Average customer rating:

a good idea
Arranging carts and horses

The Emerald Planet: How Plants Changed Earth's History
David Beerling
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0192806025

Book Description

Plants have transformed our planet over the last 470 million years as they invaded the land and diversified into the astonishing variety we know today. But their influence has reached even further: they have profoundly moulded the Earth's climate and the evolutionary trajectory of life. Far from being 'silent witnesses to the passage of time', plants are dynamic components of our world, shaping the environment throughout history as much as that environment has shaped them. In iThe Emerald Planet/i, David Beerling puts plants centre stage, revealing the crucial role they have played in driving global changes in the environment, in recording hidden facets of Earth's history, and in helping us to predict its future. His account draws together evidence from fossil plants, from experiments with their living counterparts, and from computer models of the 'Earth System', to illuminate the history of our planet and its biodiversity. This new approach reveals how plummeting carbon dioxide levels removed a barrier to the evolution of the leaf; how forests once grew on Antarctica, how plants played a starring role in allowing spectacular giant insects to thrive in the Carboniferous; and strengthens fascinating and contentious fossil evidence for an ancient hole in the ozone layer. Along the way, Beerling introduces a lively cast of pioneering scientists from Victorian times onwards whose discoveries provided the crucial background to these and the other puzzles. This new understanding of our planet's past sheds a sobering light on our own climate-changing activities, and offers clues to what our climatic and ecological futures might look like. There could be no more important time to take a close look at plants, and to understand the history of the world through the stories they tell.

Customer Reviews:

a good idea.......2007-10-06

It is a very good idea of David Beerling to start each chapter of 'The Emerald Planet' with a short and clear summary. It is immediately clear what the author is arguing in the chapter and what it is about. By browsing through the book and reading all the chapter summaries, one gets an excellent idea what the author is arguing. This is a very good service for the reader who does not have an unlimited amount of time and wants to access if the current book is the right one to invest time in. Above that, it is such a pleasant feature. Compare this book with Oliver Morton 'Eating the Sun' which is a similar subject, but lacks that kind of clarity, then I prefer to invest my time in David Beerling.

Arranging carts and horses.......2007-07-30

For many years, as fossil plants emerged from the rocks, it was believed that these records reflected changes in climate. Plants, it was assumed, had to adapt to variations in weather and other conditions. According to Beerling, plant life was instead the major prompter of climate change. The balance of atmospheric gases was determined by the micro-organisms floating in the seas. The ability to absorb carbon dioxide, coupled with the use of sunlight to convert that into nutrients gives plants the power to shift gas quantities. During the early days, plants exhaled oxygen. It was poison to most organisms, but those capable of using it began the drive leading to today's life. In this useful survey of all the forces forming today's world, Beerling traces how plants "changed Earth's history". Following his thesis requires the reader's close attention, since the organisation of the material is necessarily loose - not fixed chronology nor subject. The many topics to cover cannot be neatly niched.

To the author, the biggest mystery lies in the long delay between plants colonising the land and the formation of the first leaves. Leaf structure reflects how the plant is using energy. That, in turn, becomes a signal of how the atmosphere is composed at any given time. This knowledge was assembled over many years through the work of many researchers. Beerling traces the building of data resources and how the information was interpreted. Images of leaves and stems, analysis of the rock chemistry, field observations and laboratory experiments all contributed to the picture of plant evolution. Numerous surprises emerged, sometimes leading scholars to doubt the data and even their methodology. Looking at the life of plants down the ages is, as he puts it, looking "Through a glass darkly". Pervading his presentation is what the implications are for what is occurring in today's atmosphere - on which our life and those of our children, depends.

Beerling deems investigations into ancient atmospheres a form of "breathalyser", such as the police apply to suspected impaired drivers. In this case, however, it's not alcohol fumes that are measured, but carbon dioxide. Other gases are also sought, but they don't often leave sufficient clues. The information must be derived indirectly. Again, it's the plant's leaves that are used as the pointers to how ancient atmospheres fluctuated. Underlying the variations is the mighty force of plate tectonics. The shifting of land masses and changes in surface configuration leads plants to shift their survival strategies. Acting far more rapidly than creeping continents, the ability of plants to accelerate or impair rock weathering shifts the presence of gas quantities. Carbon dioxide quantities have varied markedly, leading to most of the world's history being warm times. Only recently - in geologic terms - has the planet experienced a cool era, which led to the "ice age" that scoured the Northern Hemisphere with massive glaciers.

As with so much in science, the revelation that plants drive climate instead of passively responding to it has produced at least as many questions as answers. There are anomalous circumstances that must be unravelled. The knowledge gained has led to the formation of "Earth system analysis" techniques using various forms of computer modelling. Many details, however, remain to be worked out. Atmostpheric studies are particularly impaired by lack of knowledge of cloud formation and distribution. Carbon itself, both as a greenhouse gas and as a component of plant growth, remains enigmatic. Beerling traces the selectivity of plants in choosing which carbon isotope will be utilised. That choice has impact on which plants will become dominant in a given area, which also has implications for the animal life living from them. There are no simple nor ready answers to what plants have meant in tracing life's development. Yet, as he emphasises frequently, these are questions that must be addressed further, and that, soon. Understanding our atmosphere is essential to our future. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

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Useful insights on the potential for life elsewhere

Life in the Universe
Dirk Schulze-Makuch , and Louis N. Irwin
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3540206272

Book Description

Energy, chemistry, solvents, and habitats - the basic elements of living systems - define the opportunities and limitations for life on other worlds. This study examines each of these parameters in crucial depth and makes the argument that life forms we would recognize may be more common in our solar system than many assume. It also considers, however, exotic forms of life that would not have to rely on carbon as the basic chemical element, solar energy as the main energy source, or water as the primary solvent. Finally the question of detecting bio- and geosignature of such life forms is discussed, ranging from earth environments to deep space. While speculative considerations in this emerging field of science cannot be avoided, the authors have tried to present their study with the breadth and seriousness that a scientific approach to this issue requires. They seek an operational definition of life and investigate the realm of possibilities that nature offers to realize this very special state of matter and avoid scientific jargon wherever possible to make this intrinsically interdisciplinary subject understandable to a broad range of readers.

Customer Reviews:

Useful insights on the potential for life elsewhere.......2004-10-15

This is not a comprehensive astrobiology text. Instead, it pursues a few key topics to a depth rarely found in other works. These include the definition of life, lessons from the history of life on Earth, possible sources for life, the importance of carbon as opposed to silicon, alternatives to water as a solvent, and signatures of life. It's well worth reading for anyone who is interested in the topic.

The Changing Earth: Exploring Geology and Evolution (with Physical GeologyNOW)

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The Changing Earth: Exploring Geology and Evolution (with Physical GeologyNOW)
James S. Monroe , and Reed Wicander
Manufacturer: Brooks Cole
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Study Guide for Monroe/Wicander's The Changing Earth, 4th

ASIN: 0495010200

Book Description

THE CHANGING EARTH, a leader in the Introductory Geology course, is the only text specifically written for the combined physical and historical geology course. The Fourth Edition's content is based on the best-selling texts PHYSICAL GEOLOGY: EXPLORING THE EARTH and HISTORICAL GEOLOGY: EVOLUTION OF EARTH AND LIFE THROUGH TIME, both written by James Monroe and Reed Wicander. Briefer than the previous edition and maintaining a consistent and clear writing style throughout, the text provides a balanced coverage of physical and historical geology with engaging, real-life examples that draw students into the material. Examples in the Fourth Edition include new two-page art spreads, new paleogeographic maps, and "Geology in Unexpected Places"-a favorite feature from PHYSICAL GEOLOGY: EXPLORING THE EARTH, Fifth Edition. Known for its competitive and robust ancillary package, the Fourth Edition now features GeologyNow, the first assessment-centered student tutorial technology developed for the Geology market. The seamless integration of GeologyNow with chapter concepts emphasizes the connections between the content and students' own lives, through visual 3-D animations and chapter quizzes, helping students develop a greater appreciation for geology.

Earth Alive!: From Microbes to a Living Planet

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Earth Alive!; From Microbes to a Living Planet

Earth Alive!: From Microbes to a Living Planet
Mary E. White
Manufacturer: Roseberg Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 187705805X

Customer Reviews:

Earth Alive!; From Microbes to a Living Planet.......2006-07-25

Absolutely fantastic. Is an excellent, very well written book.

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

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The Text For My Dream Earth Science Course.

Planet Earth: Cosmology, Geology, and the Evolution of Life and Environment
Cesare Emiliani
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

The Text For My Dream Earth Science Course........2001-05-22

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.

The History of Earth: An Illustrated Chronicle of an Evolving Planet

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Who Knew History Could Be So Fascinating?
Excellent and engaging reading
The best book on natural history you'll ever read. Period.
The tale of our home & its history written for all readers.

The History of Earth: An Illustrated Chronicle of an Evolving Planet
William K. Hartmann
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1563051222

Book Description

This book combines geology, astronomy, evolution, history, cosmology, and painting to tell the complete and vivid history of that elegant marble known as Earth.

Customer Reviews:

Who Knew History Could Be So Fascinating?.......2002-11-09

Usually most history books are as dry as the dust with which they deal. But with THE HISTORY OF EARTH, Hartmann & Miller tackle with vast success a topic that is only marginally understood,at best, by the layman. And make no mistake; this history is for the layman, but one who has a desire to know where we come from and where we may be going. Part of the learning process involves digesting a flood of data and making sense of it. Hartman & Miller use dozens of drawings, pictures, and mattes to bring to life a series of threads that they weave into a coherent whole.

What the authors reveal is a planet that may well stand unique in the universe. The precious element called life arose on earth in such a fortuitous manner that the odds of life having spontaneously arisen in any form were so staggeringly improbable that I marvel that I am here right now to pen these words. Yet, life did arise here, and Miller & Hartmann trace the long sequence of twists and convolutions stretching from the Precambrian right up to the present day. Most readers who go to the trouble of buying this book probably took a course or two in Earth History in school. What this book provides is a much longer and more comprehensible version of the geological timeline that readers have seen but failed to grasp. After finishing this work (I read it as if it were a novel), I concluded that if we here on earth are truly alone in the cosmos, then we had better take full advantage of our having won the Cosmic Lottery. We are not likely to win twice.

Excellent and engaging reading.......1998-12-12

This book was wonderful in that it gave me a valuable and easily understandable introduction to earth science, evolution, plate tectonics and planetary science, to name a few subjects. The only glaring mistake in the book, which I recognised because I am a biologist, is that the author refers to DNA as being made up of amino acids. This is incorrect. Proteins are made of amino acids; DNA and RNA are composed of nucleotides, entities completely different from amino acids. Despite this problem, the book is still excellent reading. I am buying several copies to give as gifts to family.

The best book on natural history you'll ever read. Period........1998-09-08

As a trained engineer and educator, I've scanned, read and studied many books on science. This is far and away the best I've ever seen. As magnificent as the painted illustrations are, they simply match and support the superb quality of the text itself.

Covering the full range of natural history, "The History of Earth" not only explains how the earth and life evolved, but explains how we gained this knowledge, or why we believe it to be so. Where multiple theories exist to explain something, they are each given fair coverage, with the evidence for and against each theory explained.

But most important, the book is accessible to all adults as well as to children. I began reading it (with some side explanation) to our kids when they were 7 and 10, and they loved it.

The book begins with an explanation of the formation of the Earth and Moon, describes the likely origins of life on our planet, and explains the changing environment and how that led to the origin of life. This is followed by in-depth treatment of the evolution of the diverse lifeforms leading to today's species, and excellent coverage of recent and current geological phenomena. The book concludes with a projection of the likely future of the earth over the next billion years or so.

I cannot praise this work highly enough. If you only buy one science book for you or your kids, this is the one you want.

The tale of our home & its history written for all readers........1998-08-29

This is, and remains, one of the best books I have ever read about the long history of our Earth. Beginning from the brief introduction of the history of geology and the creation of the solar system, to its predicted end, this is a clearly written, beautifully illustrated book.

It is clear enough to educate and involve the novice, while sufficiently technical and detailed for the experienced geologist. While now seven years old, much of the contents are still resonant today, and many of the theories presented are borne out today.

Book Description

Millions of years before the Age of Dinosaurs, an environmental cataclysm annihilated 90 percent of all plant and animal life on the planet. In this lost world that was swept away 250 million years ago, the ferocious lizard-like Gorgon was the T. rex of its day. In this remarkable journey of discovery deep into Earth's history, Peter D. Ward, one of the world's most recognized authorities on mass extinctions, examines the strange and mysterious fate of this little-known prehistoric animal and its contemporaries—the ancestors of the turtle, the crocodile, the lizard, and eventually the dinosaur. Based on more than a decade's research in South Africa's Karoo Desert, Ward's groundbreaking work offers provocative theories on the mass extinctions of the past and confronts the startling implications they hold for humanity's future on the planet.

Customer Reviews:

Well written but just an autobiography.......2007-04-05

Ward loses a momentous scientific theory under a book about his personal trivia and self-involvement. Managed to get in quite a few snarky comments about people he's supposed to be best friends with, too.

I didn't learn anything and the Gorgon in the title was barely in the story.

Too Much Personal Trivia--Not Enough Paleontology.......2007-03-17

When the Permian began nearly 300 million years ago, the earth was ripe for animal growth. The oxygen content was high and the age of reptiles was just beginning to compete with their amphibian forebears. There was a massive increase in life of all kinds. The promise for a continuity of life seemed unlimited. Then in seemingly a geological wink of the eye, the earth became virtually inhospitable for all species. For those like myself who wish to know the what and the why of the Permian Extinction, Peter Ward's GORGON held a similar bright promise of shedding light on a mystery that far predated the even quicker exit of the dinosaurs. Ward's book, sorry to say, does not live up to its hype.

Most of GORGON relates his various journeys to the Karoo in South Africa over a decade long search to learn the answer to the question that perplexed us both: why did the earth become very nearly as inhospitable to life as the moon? Ward details the trying times that he, his wife, and his crewmates faced when they battled the elements, the natives, and a far from co-operative Afrikaans regime that was then being rent apart by civil rights issues that resulted in its collapse. We read of the bugs, the heat, the many sleepness nights, the frigid cold, and his inability to ascertain the true cause of the Extinction. All of this may have been fascinating to those readers who enjoy the human side of a story that leads to scientific advancement. But in this case, there was far too much of the former and hardly any of the latter. It was not until the very last chapter that Ward gets to the nitty-gritty of his book. He writes of a supercontinent that was plagued by the one-two punch of dropping levels of oxygen and the poisonous effluvia of volcanic ash from the Siberian traps. Since the fossil record suggests the extreme speed with which these confluent events overlapped, there was no time, historically speaking, for the world's species to adjust. Thus they died out. And the Gorgon of the title, a magnificent beast brought alive by the computer animations of the Discovery Channel, Ward relegates to the most superficial of symbols, a bystander who much like many of the readers of this book could hardly have understood what forces of nature were buffeting them. For a more balanced and informative view of the same topic, I suggest WHEN LIFE NEARLY DIED by Michael Benton. In this book, the Gorgon takes its rightful place at the top of the food chain.

GORGON, the process........2007-02-19

Nothing that I have read immerses you more vividly in the gritty process of sample collection and processing, and the need to go out again to redo what you completely finished at least twice before. The author does not have to say a word about the prospect of someone pursuing quick fame wanting to rework your hard-fought samples from academic offices. Finding GORGON itself was led to by a related venture running into on the spot obstacles. Later GORGON is found to be not quite GORGON. Peter Ward includes a brief statement of his newest theory that some body types evolved in low-oxygen in which the problem of respiration dominates.

Amazing detective story.......2006-11-24

This wonderful book reads like a detective "who-dunnit" story, including some unsuspected plot twists and a surprising conclusion. The "crime" is the mass extinction at the end of the Permian age, and the detective is a geologist searching a hostile African desert for clues.

This book weaves science with emotion, describing both the research as well as the lives and adventures of scientists dedicated to solving the mystery of what happened to a world that existed before the dinosaurs, some 250 million years ago.

A bit more could have been included on the animals of the late Permian, and some sketches of what they looked like when alive would have been helpful. Nevertheless, one of the best books on palaeontology and science I have ever read.

Scientific Advancement involves People.......2006-06-26

Previous reviewers seem disappointed with the fusion of people, politics, and NSF grants with "the science". But, I found this to be an important part of the appeal of the book. As a former engineer on groundbreaking developments in signal processing in the satellite industry, I realize that exciting discoveries usually involve incremental progress, a lot of toil, a few "ah-ha" moments, paperwork, and false starts. By painting the discoveries, as they unfolded, you get a real feeling about how the science really advanced. I, for one, very much enjoyed reading about how the experiments had to be conducted and independently verified by multiple parties or at different locations. I commiserated with the tensions between great thinkers, and really admired the dedication and professionalism of the particpants. As for South Africa -- the discussion of the changing politics there only served to emphasize the risks these folks took going out to the field (or leaving their families behind in S. African urban centers). Bravo to Peter Ward for giving us the nitty gritty.

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