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Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life
Hardcover
Environmental StudiesGeneral Science
Publisher Price: $30.00
ISBN13: 9780593133972
Publisher: Random House
Published: Jun 25 2024
Pages: 304
Weight: 1.20
Height: 1.30 Width: 6.10 Depth: 9.20
Language: English
Awards: ALA Notable Books
Glorious . . . full of achingly beautiful passages, mind-bending conceptual twists, and wonderful characters. Jabr reveals how Earth has been profoundly, miraculously shaped by life.--Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of An Immense World
FINALIST FOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE - FINALIST FOR THE OREGON BOOK AWARD - AN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Smithsonian, Chicago Public Library, Booklist, Scientific American, Nature
One of humanity's oldest beliefs is that our world is alive. Though once ridiculed by some scientists, the idea of Earth as a vast interconnected living system has gained acceptance in recent decades. We, and all living things, are more than inhabitants of Earth--we are Earth, an outgrowth of its structure and an engine of its evolution. Life and its environment have coevolved for billions of years, transforming a lump of orbiting rock into a cosmic oasis--a planet that breathes, metabolizes, and regulates its climate.
Acclaimed science writer Ferris Jabr reveals a radical new vision of Earth where lush forests spew water, pollen, and bacteria to summon rain; giant animals engineer the very landscapes they roam; microbes chew rock to shape continents; and microscopic plankton, some as glittering as carved jewels, remake the air and sea.
Humans are one of the most extreme examples of life transforming Earth. Through fossil fuel consumption, agriculture, and pollution, we have altered more layers of the planet in less time than any other species, pushing Earth into a crisis. But we are also uniquely able to understand and protect the planet's wondrous ecology and self-stabilizing processes. Jabr introduces us to a diverse cast of fascinating people who have devoted themselves to this vital work.
Becoming Earth is an exhilarating journey through the hidden workings of our planetary symphony--its players, its instruments, and the music of life that emerges--and an invitation to reexamine our place in it. How well we play our part will determine what kind of Earth our descendants inherit for millennia to come.
1 different editions
Also available
Becoming Earth: A Journey Through the Hidden Wonders That Bring Our Planet to Life
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Also from
Jabr, Ferris
Becoming Earth: A Journey Through the Hidden Wonders That Bring Our Planet to Life
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El Nacimiento de la Tierra: Cómo Nuestro Planeta Cobró Vida / Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life
Jabr, Ferris
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