Why geology matters : decoding the past, anticipating the future

Author/Creator:

Macdougall, J. D., 1944-

Publication/Creation:

Berkeley : University of California Press, c2011

Format:

Book

Edition:

1st ed.

More Details

Additional/Related Title Information

Full Title:

Why geology matters : decoding the past, anticipating the future / Doug Macdougall

Related/Included Titles:

Frontmatter --
Contents --
Illustrations --
Preface --
Acknowledgments --
Chapter One. Set in Stone --
Chapter Two. Building Our Planet --
Chapter Three. Close Encounters --
Chapter Four. The First Two Billion Years --
Chapter Five. Wandering Plates --
Chapter Six. Shaky Foundations --
Chapter Seven. Mountains, Life, and the Big Chill --
Chapter Eight. Cold Times --
Chapter Nine. The Great Warming --
Chapter Ten. Reading LIPs --
Chapter Eleven. Restless Giants --
Chapter Twelve. Swimming, Crawling, and Flying toward the Present --
Chapter Thirteen. Why Geology Matters --
Bibliography and Further Reading --
Index

Subjects/Genre

Subjects:

Historical geology
Geology

Description/Summary

Table of Contents:

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Illustrations -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter One. Set in Stone -- Chapter Two. Building Our Planet -- Chapter Three. Close Encounters -- Chapter Four. The First Two Billion Years -- Chapter Five. Wandering Plates -- Chapter Six. Shaky Foundations -- Chapter Seven. Mountains, Life, and the Big Chill -- Chapter Eight. Cold Times -- Chapter Nine. The Great Warming -- Chapter Ten. Reading LIPs -- Chapter Eleven. Restless Giants -- Chapter Twelve. Swimming, Crawling, and Flying toward the Present -- Chapter Thirteen. Why Geology Matters -- Bibliography and Further Reading -- Index

Bibliography:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Summary:

Volcanic dust, climate change, tsunamis, earthquakes-geoscience explores phenomena that profoundly affect our lives. But more than that, as Doug Macdougall makes clear, the science also provides important clues to the future of the planet. In an entertaining and accessibly written narrative, Macdougall gives an overview of Earth's astonishing history based on information extracted from rocks, ice cores, and other natural archives. He explores such questions as: What is the risk of an asteroid striking Earth? Why does the temperature of the ocean millions of years ago matter today? How are efforts to predict earthquakes progressing? Macdougall also explains the legacy of greenhouse gases from Earth's past and shows how that legacy shapes our understanding of today's human-caused climate change. We find that geoscience in fact illuminates many of today's most pressing issues-the availability of energy, access to fresh water, sustainable agriculture, maintaining biodiversity-and we discover how, by applying new technologies and ideas, we can use it to prepare for the future.

Language:

English

Language Note:

English

Physical Type/Description:

1 online resource (305 p.)

General Note:

Description based upon print version of record.

Additional Identifiers

Catalog ID (MMSID):

9936715997002486

ISBN:

9786613277992
9781283277990
1283277999
9780520948921
0520948920

OCLC Number:

719321912
721907463

Other Identifiers:

doi: 10.1525/9780520948921