The story of the Earth in 25 rocks : tales of important geological puzzles and the people who solved them

The story of the Earth in 25 rocks Tales of important geological puzzles and the people who solved them

Donald R. Prothero

Book - 2018

"Every rock is a tangible trace of the earth's past. The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks 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, from the unearthing of exemplary specimens to tectonic shifts in how we view the inner workings of our planet. Prothero follows in the footsteps of the scientists who asked--and answered--geology's biggest questions: How do we know how old the earth is? What happened to the supercontinent Pangea? How did ocean rocks end up at the top of Mount Everest? What can we l...earn about our planet from meteorites and moon rocks? He answers these questions through expertly chosen case studies, such as Pliny the Younger's firsthand account of the eruption of Vesuvius; the granite outcrops that led a Scottish scientist to theorize that the landscapes he witnessed were far older than Noah's Flood; the salt and gypsum deposits under the Mediterranean Sea that indicate that it was once a desert; and how trying to date the age of meteorites revealed the dangers of lead poisoning. Each of these breakthroughs filled in a piece of the greater puzzle that is the earth, with scientific discoveries dovetailing with each other to offer an increasingly coherent image of the geologic past. Summarizing a wealth of information in an entertaining, approachable style, The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks is essential reading for the armchair geologist, the rock hound, and all who are curious about the earth beneath their feet."--Dust jacket.

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Subjects
Geology > Popular works.
Geologists.
Earth sciences > Popular works.
Earth (Planet) > Popular works.
Published
New York : Columbia University Press [2018]
Language
English
Main Author
Donald R. Prothero (author)
Physical Description
viii, 354 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9780231182607
  • Preface
  • 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. Ignedus 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. Turbioites
  • 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 the Greenhouse Planet
  • 20. The Iridium Layer
  • The Death of the Dindsaurs
  • 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 Erratics
  • A Poet, a Professor, a Politician, A Janitor, and the Discovery of the ice Ages
  • Index
Review by Choice Review

As the full title suggests, this book covers a broad sweep of natural and human history--perhaps a bit too broad. Simultaneous coverage of the origins of rocks and minerals, human histories of geological inquiry and resource utilization, and natural histories of Earth and the solar system necessitates highly abbreviated treatments. Some accounts may be too simplified for readers with no previous knowledge of geology, yet they present little that advanced readers won't already know. Unlike its prequel, The Story of Life in 25 Fossils (CH, Mar'16, 53-3083), there is no central timeline (in that case, organic evolution) to serve as an organizational framework, so the narrative jumps around. Only half of the 25 chapters focus on specific rocks; the rest focus on minerals, elements, or general concepts such as "exotic terranes" or "angular unconformities." Consequently, complex topics such as plate tectonics are presented piecemeal in various chapters, and some of the information concerning early Earth history is not totally accurate. Nevertheless, this extremely knowledgeable author 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. Summing Up: Recommended. With reservations. Undergraduates and general readers. --Bruce M. Simonson, emeritus, Oberlin College

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

As he has done so well in the past, Prothero (The Story of Life in 25 Fossils), professor of geology at Cal Poly Pomona, uses the geological record to answer many important questions about planet Earth. In 25 short and enjoyable chapters, he explores issues that have been at the center of geology since long before geology was a science. For example, he discusses the age of the Earth, the nature of continental drift, the characteristics of early life, and the cause of the demise of the dinosaurs, among many other topics. 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. Beyond the specifics of each chapter, Prothero makes three important points: basic geological information can play an essential role in environmentalism, pure research is critical to advancing human civilization, and scientific disagreement often plays a central role in shaping theories and interpreting data. In the tradition of the best popular science writing, Prothero elucidates the latest findings of scientists while demonstrating their broader implications and sharing the excitement of scientific endeavor. Illus. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A natural follow-up to the author's The Story of Life in 25 Fossils (2015).In many of the chapters, paleontologist and geologist Prothero doesn't necessarily discuss specific rocks but rather larger geological phenomena. The result is a rewarding, surprisingly detailed education on the history and present state of earth science. The author begins with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which "can be considered the beginning of our modern understanding of Earth and the event that led to the birth of geology as a science." Meteorites reveal so much that they deserve two separate chapters. Most are rocky material that turn out to be exactly 4.5 billion years old, which is the age of the planets, and scientists agree that these consist mostly of material like asteroids and comets that never coalesced into larger bodies. About 5 percent of meteorites are mostly solid iron. The core of the Earth is also mostly iron, so these are the remaining bits that didn't sink deep into the planets when they were still molten. Ancient plants died, piled up, and became coal because insects and microorganisms that digest dead vegetation hadn't evolved. No more coal is being formed. Iron in ancient oceans precipitated into massive iron mountains that industry depends upon. Oxygen converts iron into useless iron oxide (rust), but ancient oceans had no oxygen. It does today, so no iron mountains are being formed. In some chapters, the author examines the life and career of a geological geniusLouis Agassiz (1807-1873) proposed that the Earth had undergone ice ages and eventually convinced his colleagues. In "Jigsaw Puzzle Bedrock," Prothero introduces Alfred Wegener (1880-1930), who spent his life proposing that the continents were once joined and are now drifting apart. Almost no one believed him until long after his death.An occasionally scattershot but agreeable, useful introduction to geology. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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