With winds that can reach speeds of three hundred miles an hour and funnel clouds that can measure a mile in diameter, tornadoes leave enormous damage in their wake. Now Seymour Simon examines these twisting columns of air and destruction. Simon explains how tornadoes are formed, why and when they are most likely to occur, how scientists classify and track them -- and what to do if one touches down. Full-color photographs show this powerful phenomenon...

"Drawing on his decades of field research and up-to-the-minute understanding of the latest science, renowned geologist Andrew H. Knoll delivers a rigorous yet accessible biography of Earth, charting our home planet's epic 4.6 billion-year story. Placing twenty first-century climate change in deep context, A Brief History of Earth is an indispensable look at where we've been and where we're going."--

An explorer and environmentalist offers a natural history of the Earth as well as a biography of the human species.

Published in 1951, The Sea Around Us is one of the most remarkably successful books ever written about the natural world. Rachel Carson's rare ability to combine scientific insight with moving, poetic prose catapulted her book to first place on The New York Times best-seller list, where it enjoyed wide attention for thirty-one consecutive weeks. It remained on the list for more than a year and a half and ultimately sold well over a million copies,...

"A masterful exploration of one of nature's most curious ecosystems, Caves is a magical journey into subterranean wonders perfect for fans of Jason Chin. Using evocative storytelling, Nell Cross Beckerman urges children to explore one of nature's most curious ecosystems. Dramatic, poetic language guides kids through different caves around the world while nonfiction text allows for deeper understanding"--

How much of Earth's surface is covered by water? How do the northern lights get their colors? Planet Earth has been home to mankind for hundreds of thousands of years and while scientists have learned a lot about it, they're still unraveling many of its mysteries. B is for Blue Planet: An Earth Science Alphabet explains what we do know about our planet and what more we have to learn. Examine Earth's diverse ecosystems (deserts), discover geological...

In this Very Short Introduction Jan Zalasiewicz gives a brief introduction to the fascinating field of geology. Describing how the science developed from its early beginnings, he looks at some of the key discoveries that have transformed it, before delving into its various subfields, such as sedimentology, tectonics, and stratigraphy. Analysing the geological foundations of the Earth, Zalasiewicz explains the interlocking studies of tectonics, geophysics,...

Geophysics is the physics of the Earth. Encompassing areas such as seismology, plate tectonics, gravitational anomalies, and the Earth's magnetic field (present and past, as captured in rocks), it brings these together to give clues to both the structure and the workings of our planet. This Very Short Introduction describes the internal and external processes that affect the Earth, as well as the methods, using earth-and satellite-based data, used...

From the Yangtze to the Yellow River, China is traversed by great waterways, which have defined its politics and ways of life for centuries. Water has been so integral to China's culture, economy, and growth and development that it provides a window on the whole sweep of Chinese history. In The Water Kingdom, renowned writer Philip Ball opens that window to offer an epic and powerful new way of thinking about Chinese civilization. Water, Ball shows,...

"Geopedia is a brief compendium of geological facts and lore, by the award-winning author of Timefulness"-- "A garden of geologic delights for all earthlings, Geopedia is a trove of geologic wonders and the evocative terms that humans have devised to describe them. Featuring dozens of entries -- from Acasta gneiss to Zircon -- this illustrated compendium is brimming with lapidary and lexical insights that will delight rockhounds and word lovers alike....