Earth History
Earth History
$79.99
USDProviding a new approach to Earth history, this engaging undergraduate textbook highlights key episodes in the history of our planet and uses them to explain the most important concepts in geology. Rather than presenting exhaustive descriptions of each period of geological time, this conceptual approach shows how geologists use multiple strands of evidence to build up an understanding of the geological past, focusing on exciting events like the extinction of the dinosaurs and the formation of the Grand Canyon and the Himalaya. Beginning with an introduction to geology, tectonics, and the origin of the Universe, subsequent chapters chronicle defining moments in Earth history in an accessible narrative style. Each chapter draws on a variety of sub-disciplines, including stratigraphy, paleontology, petrology, geochemistry, and geophysics, to provide students who have little or no previous knowledge of geology with a broad understanding of our planet and its fascinating history.
- Helpful illustrated timelines at the start of chapters show when the main events in the chapter take place
- Contains stunning color figures and photographs to inspire students and bring the subject to life
- Essential instructor resources, including lecture PowerPoint slides and a testbank of multiple-choice questions, complete the teaching package
- Written by experienced instructors who have refined the content of the book through many years of teaching
Reviews & endorsements
‘I am very pleased to recommend Dr. Copeland and Dr. Bhattacharya’s textbook, Earth History, to the educational and academic community. Their book transcends the traditional, often dense, textbook format, presenting geologic science as a collection of exciting short stories in a narrative style that is both engaging and informative. Their writing style is playful yet analytical, data driven and entertaining. Using a coupled systematic and conceptual approach (with a very strong emphasis on conceptual), the authors make complex topics accessible and interesting. What sets this book apart is the fun! This book’s unique blend of analytical rigor and rich storytelling is designed to capture student attention, which is no easy feat in the digital age. Earth History has significantly influenced the structure and tone of my own courses. I look forward to incorporating this book into my curriculum upon its release. I am confident that it will provide an enriching educational experience for my students.’ Jennifer Campo, Lone Star College, University Park
‘A novel, engaging approach to learning about Earth history. Instead of taking an exhaustive time-period approach that characterizes classic historical geology texts, key events are used to explore the planet’s geologic evolution. Starting with general principles of geology, the text examines major events that shaped and changed our planet over its long history. Thematic events include Proterozoic Snowball Earth, the Cambrian Explosion of Life, the supercontinent Pangea, major extinction events, the evolution of western North America and Southeast Asia, human evolution and modern Ice Ages. The text closes with a brief exploration of today’s environmental challenges, bringing ancient geologic history into today’s conversation. Instead of the past distinctions between physical geology and historical geology offerings, this text offers a fresh integration of disciplines, allowing instructors to amplify and cater to their and their students’ interest. I heartily recommend this text.’ Ben van der Pluijm, University of Michigan
Product details
July 2025Paperback
9781108724159
424 pages
278 × 216 × 22 mm
1.18kg
Not yet published - available from July 2025
Table of Contents
- Preface, Acknowledgements, 1. The Grand Canyon: reading the rocks
- 2. The philosophies of geology: assumptions steer interpretations
- 3. The origin of Earth: from the beginning of the universe to the early Earth
- 4.The Age of Earth: historical versus modern dating approaches
- 5. Plate tectonics: our unifying geological concept
- 6. Evolution: natural selection and the organization of life
- 7. The origin of life: our early atmosphere and the rise of early life
- 8. Snowball Earth: a Neoproterozoic frozen planet
- 9. An explosion of life: Ediacaran experimentation, the Cambrian explosion, and Ordovician biodiversity
- 10. Iapetus and Pangea: the lost ocean and the assembly of a Paleozoic supercontinent
- 11. Environmental change in the late Paleozoic: the greening of Earth, climate change, and the great dying
- 12. The age of dinosaurs: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous world
- 13. The Cretaceous extinction: the end of the age of dinosaurs
- 14. Tectonics of western North America: a dynamic Cretaceous and Cenozoic landscape
- 15. The Indo-Asian collision: the formation of the Himalayas
- 16. The Messinian crisis: the great drying of the Mediterranean Sea
- 17. Out of Africa: human evolution
- 18. Ice ages and sea level: quaternary environmental change
- 19. A human world: our impact in the Holocene
- Glossary, Index.
