Reading the Rocks: The Autobiography of the Earth.
READING THE ROCKS: The Autobiography of the EarthMARCIA BJORNERUD
Earth keeps a "stone diary," explains geologist Bjornerud. That is, Earth has kept for 4 billion years a record of its changes and its inhabitants' changes, all stored in rocks and fossils. Starting with the supernova that led to the planet's formation and concluding with today's human-made changes, the author explains modern geologic theories. To keep the text lively, she intersperses fascinating tidbits, such as a discussion of "snowball Earth," the planet at a time so cold that all the oceans froze. The book is an overview cast in nontechnical language, so readers shouldn't look here for in-depth discussions of geoscience. However, this book is a good choice for novices to the discipline or people whose knowledge of geology may not be up-to-date. Westview Press, 2005, 237 p., hardcover, $26.00.
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| Publication: | Science News |
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| Article Type: | Book Review |
| Date: | Jun 11, 2005 |
| Words: | 141 |
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