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基本説明
New in paperback. Hardcover was publsihed in 2003. Presents a comprehensive and well-illustrated guide to the story of life, from the origin of the earth to the present day.
Full Description
How did life begin? What really was "snowball earth"? Why did the dinosaurs go extinct? Are we all descended from "African Eve"? Will humans be responsible for the next major extinction? All these are addressed in this book. The story unfolds with the formation of the earth around 4000 million years ago, though it took until after massive bombardment by asteroids 100 million years later for life to emerge and another 15 million years until more complex life began to appear. Periods of relative calm were punctuated by five vigorous shake-ups representing major extinctions, with innumerable minor jolts along the way, then five million years ago, an able ape evolved that gradually came to dominate and control the other animals and plants. Evolution in all its complexity has been put aside and the future lies in the hands of single species.
Contents
Introduction; Special chemistry; A quick start; Jellyfish, polyps, and worms?; Clawas, rasps, and shells; Sand, mud, and shallow seas; The giant continent forms; A sparse start; The world of the dinosaurs; Today's world dawns; The evolution of the able ape; Humans - the great modifiers; Further reading; Acknowledgements; Index
