Description
Book SynopsisEvery rock is a tangible trace of the earth’s past. This book tells the fascinating stories behind the discoveries that shook the foundations of geology. In twenty-five chapters—each about a particular rock, outcrop, or geologic phenomenon—Donald R. Prothero recounts the scientific detective work that shaped our understanding of geology.
Trade ReviewA natural follow-up to the author’s
The Story of Life in 25 Fossils . . . [A] useful introduction to geology. * Kirkus Reviews *
In 25 short and enjoyable chapters, [Prothero] explores issues that have been at the center of geology since long before geology was a science... Prothero provides thought-provoking historical context for each subject and presents information about the individuals responsible for advancing geological knowledge—including James Hutton, Charles Lyell, and Alfred Wegener—while explaining the underlying science in an accessible manner. * Publishers Weekly *
Geologist Donald Prothero has crafted a rock-solid premise for this delightful book. -- Barbara Kiser * Nature *
I learned something and gained a deeper appreciation for the history of Earth science from reading The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks. I recommend it to anyone interested in tales of scientific discovery and natural marvels. * Physics Today *
Skillfully presents a vast array of facts that should appeal to readers newly acquainted with Earth science who are interested in learning a bit more. * Choice *
The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks provides twenty-five well-lit doorways into the sometimes dark and imposing edifice of the geologic past. Colorful characters welcome the reader in, revealing the very human nature of scientific inquiry and our long and complicated relationship with rocks. -- Marcia Bjornerud, author of
Reading the Rocks: The Autobiography of EarthTable of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
1. Volcanic Tuff: Vulcan’s Wrath: The Eruption of Vesuvius
2. Native Copper: The Iceman and the Island of Copper
3. Cassiterite: The “Isles of Tin” and the Bronze Age
4. Angular Unconformity: “No Vestige of a Beginning”: The Immensity of Geologic Time
5. Igneous Dikes: The “Earth’s Great Heat Engine”: The Origin of Magmas
6. Coal: The Rock That Burns Fires the Industrial Revolution
7. Jurassic World: The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Rocks of Britain
8. Radioactive Uranium: Clocks in Rocks: Arthur Holmes and the Age of the Earth
9. Chondritic Meteorites: Messengers From Space: The Origin of the Solar System
10. Iron-Nickel Meteorites: The Cores of Other Planets
11. Moon Rocks: Green Cheese or Anorthosite: The Origin of the Moon
12. Zircons: Early Oceans and Life? Evidence in a Grain of Sand
13. Stromatolites: Microbial Condos: Cyanobacteria and the Oldest Life
14. Banded Iron Formation: Mountains of Iron: The Earth’s Early Atmosphere
15. Turbidites: Archean Sediments and Submarine Landslides
16. Diamictites: Tropical Glaciers and the Snowball Earth
17. Exotic Terranes: Paradox in Rocks: Wandering Fossils and Traveling Landmasses
18. Jigsaw-Puzzle Bedrock: Alfred Wegener and Continental Drift
19. Chalk: The Cretaceous Seaway and Greenhouse Planet
20. The Iridium Layer: The Death of the Dinosaurs
21. Lodestones: How Paleomagic Launched Plate Tectonics
22. Blueschists: The Puzzle of Subduction Zones
23. Transform Faults: Earthquake! The San Andreas Fault
24. Messinian Evaporites: The Mediterranean Was a Desert
25. Glacial Erraticts: A Poet, a Professor, a Politician, a Janitor, and the Discovery of the Ice Ages
Index
