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

"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"--Provided by publisher

"Macdougall delves into key processes and events in Earth's geologic history, how science has uncovered the story of the planet's past, and how this knowledge could help us to forecast, predict, or adapt to future examples of such geologic hazards as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, supereruptions from 'hot spots, ' or impacts from extraterrestrial objects"--Provided by publisher

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Print version record.

Cover; Cover; Title Page; Title Page; Copyright Page; Copyright Page; Table of Contents; Table of Contents; List of Illustrations; List of Illustrations; Preface; Preface; Acknowledgments; Acknowledgments; Chapter 1. Set in Stone; Chapter 1. Set in Stone; Chapter 2. Building Our Planet; Chapter 2. Building Our Planet; Chapter 3. Close Encounters; Chapter 3. Close Encounters; Chapter 4. The First Two Billion Years; Chapter 4. The First Two Billion Years; Chapter 5. Wandering Plates; Chapter 5. Wandering Plates; Chapter 6. Shaky Foundations; Chapter 6. Shaky Foundations.

Chapter 7. Mountains, Life, and the Big ChillChapter 7. Mountains, Life, and the Big Chill; Chapter 8. Cold Times; Chapter 8. Cold Times; Chapter 9. The Great Warming; Chapter 9. The Great Warming; Chapter 10. Reading LIPs; Chapter 10. Reading LIPs; Chapter 11. Restless Giants; Chapter 11. Restless Giants; Chapter 12. Swimming, Crawling, and Flying toward the Present; Chapter 12. Swimming, Crawling, and Flying toward the Present; Chapter 13. Why Geology Matters; Chapter 13. Why Geology Matters; Bibliography and Further Reading; Bibliography and Further Reading; Index; Index.

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