origin

Shubin shows how the entirety of the universe's fourteen-billion-year history can be seen in our bodies as he moves from our very molecular composition--a result of stellar events at the origin of our solar system--through the workings of our eyes.

"We see the moon waxing and waning every month, and we know it controls the tides. However, we rarely wonder how it got there in the first place and why it continues to accompany Earth around the sun. Readers will learn some fascinating theories about the moon's origin and decide for themselves if they agree with the current accepted explanation"--Provided by publisher.

Dramatizes the creation of the Earth as it might have happened during the Big Bang.

The Beginning brings an incredible story to life: the most astonishing history of the Universe. It is the story of who we are, where we are, and how we came to be here. It is the story of life itself. Beautifully illustrated throughout, and containing a wealth of factual information to complement extraordinary narrative, The Beginning will take you on a journey of wonder: from alien landscapes to "upside-down" continents, violent collisions, and mass extinction; from worms with jaws and pigs as big as men to saber-toothed cats and monstrous dinosaurs. A time when humans were the victims, not masters, of their world. Encounter history as you have never experienced it before.

Examines the history of Earth, looking at what scientists have learned through a study of fossils and rock layers, and discussing the evolution of the planet and its lifeforms.

Presents a scientific explanation for how the universe began and how the Earth was created.

"The acclaimed author of In Search of Schr?odinger's Cat searches for life on other planetsAre we alone in the universe? Surely amidst the immensity of the cosmos there must be other intelligent life out there. Don't be so sure, says John Gribbin, one of today's best popular science writers. In this fascinating and intriguing new book, Gribbin argues that the very existence of intelligent life anywhere in the cosmos is, from an astrophysicist's point of view, a miracle. So why is there life on Earth and (seemingly) nowhere else? What happened to make this planet special? Taking us back some 600 million years, Gribbin lets you experience the series of unique cosmic events that were responsible for our unique form of life within the Milky Way Galaxy. Written by one of our foremost popular science writers, author of the bestselling In Search of Schr?odinger's Cat offers a bold answer to the eternal question, "Are we alone in the universe?" Explores how the impact of a "supercomet" with Venus 600 million years ago created our moon, and along with it, the perfect conditions for life on Earth from one of our most talented science writers, this book is a daring, fascinating exploration into the dawning of the universe, cosmic collisions and their consequences, and the uniqueness of life on Earth"--.

Journeys back in time to show the creation of the Earth's land masses, the birth of the first complex creatures, and mass extinctions, looking at the cataclysmic transformations the Earth has undergone in its long history.

Text and photographs discuss the evolution of the earth from the "birth" of the planet to geological formation of the continents and the development of the atmosphere and climate.