Revolutions that Made the Earth

Andrew Watson author Tim Lenton author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Oxford University Press

Published:11th Apr '13

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

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Revolutions that Made the Earth cover

This book explores significant past revolutions driven by biological innovations that shaped Earth's environment. It emphasizes humanity's role in ongoing changes and outlines pathways for a sustainable future.

Revolutions that Made the Earth explores the significant transformations that have shaped our planet and the life it supports. The author delves into key biological innovations that sparked near-catastrophic revolutions, each leading to profound global environmental changes. By examining these past upheavals, the book highlights the intricate relationship between the evolution of life and the non-living elements of our environment. It underscores how these revolutions have consistently increased complexity, energy utilization, and information processing capabilities, ultimately paving the way for the existence of humanity.

The narrative emphasizes that the current activities of our species may represent the onset of yet another pivotal Earth system revolution. However, the book cautions that the outcome of this latest transformation is uncertain. The author presents a vision for what a successful transition could entail, urging readers to consider the importance of making informed decisions that could guide us toward a sustainable future. By understanding the lessons of past revolutions, we can better navigate the challenges we face today.

In placing humanity within the broader context of the Earth system, the book offers a fresh scientific synthesis that reflects on our historical legacy while contemplating our potential. It encourages readers to recognize our interconnectedness with the planet and to take responsibility for the trajectory of future changes. Ultimately, Revolutions that Made the Earth serves as both a historical account and a call to action, urging us to learn from the past as we shape the future of our world.

Lenton and Watson have written a remarkable and timely book which is both entertaining and impeccably researched from the beginning I felt both engaged and enlightened... With its academic rigour and, at the same time, its accessibility, the authors have clearly succeeded in their aim of writing scholarly popular science. As such, it should inspire us to learn from how the Earth system has evolved in the past and face up to the final question: Are we as yet sufficiently grown up to take responsibility for a whole planet? One thing is for sure: Over the next century we will find out. * Peter Horton, Chemistry World *
Worth close study for anyone with more than a passing interest in the Earth sciences, from geology to climatology, and for anyone curious about why this planet is alive whilst all the other ones we know about are dead. * Mark Lynas *
Lenton and Watson's thought-provoking book is the latest in a distinguished line of works that have altered our perception of the planet. * Wolfgang Lucht, Nature *
This book is a stimulating read that involves its audience and challenges us to enlarge our awareness of many branches of human knowledge. It embraces the ethical question of how we can overcome our selfish genes to co-operate with our fellow human beings and recognise our symbiotic relationship with the Earth ecosystem that sustains us. * Susan Jappie, A World to Win *
An exciting, timely, scholarly, and innovative book. * Tyler Volk, New York University, author of CO² Rising: The World's Greatest Environmental Challenge *
[an] interesting and provocative read. * Meric Srokosz, Ocean Challenge *

ISBN: 9780199673469

Dimensions: 234mm x 157mm x 22mm

Weight: 762g

440 pages