Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life
Ferris Jabr
(Author)
Description
A vivid account of a major shift in how we understand Earth, from an exceptionally talented new voice. Earth is not simply an inanimate planet on which life evolved, but rather a planet that came to life. One of humanity's oldest beliefs is that our world is alive. Though once ridiculed by some scientists, the idea of Earth as a vast interconnected living system has gained acceptance in recent decades. We, and all living things, are more than inhabitants of Earth--we are Earth, an outgrowth of its structure and an engine of its evolution. Life and its environment have coevolved for billions of years, transforming a lump of orbiting rock into a cosmic oasis--a planet that breathes, metabolizes, and regulates its climate. Acclaimed science writer Ferris Jabr reveals a radical new vision of Earth where lush forests spew water, pollen, and bacteria to summon rain; giant animals engineer the very landscapes they roam; microbes chew rock to shape continents; and microscopic plankton, some as glittering as carved jewels, remake the air and sea. Humans are one of the most extreme examples of life transforming Earth. Through fossil fuel consumption, agriculture, and pollution, we have altered more layers of the planet in less time than any other species, pushing Earth into a crisis. But we are also uniquely able to understand and protect the planet's wondrous ecology and self-stabilizing processes. Jabr introduces us to a diverse cast of fascinating people who have devoted themselves to this vital work. Becoming Earth is an exhilarating journey through the hidden workings of our planetary symphony--its players, its instruments, and the music of life that emerges--and an invitation to reexamine our place in it. How well we play our part will determine what kind of Earth our descendants inherit for millennia to come.
Product Details
Price
$30.00
$27.90
Publisher
Random House
Publish Date
June 25, 2024
Pages
304
Dimensions
0.0 X 0.0 X 0.0 inches | 1.25 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780593133972
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
Ferris Jabr is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine. He has also written for The New Yorker, Harper's, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and Scientific American. He is the recipient of a Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant and fellowships from UC Berkeley and MIT. His work has been anthologized in several editions of Best American Science and Nature Writing. Ferris Jabr lives in Portland, Oregon, with his husband, Ryan, their dog, Jack, and more plants than they can count.
Reviews
"With the curiosity of a reporter, the mind of a scientist, and the lyricism of a poet, Jabr explores the extraordinary tapestry of life."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Becoming Earth is a glorious paean to our living world, full of achingly beautiful passages, mind-bending conceptual twists, and wonderful characters. Ferris Jabr reveals how Earth not only gave rise to life, and now teems with it, but has also been profoundly, miraculously shaped by it."--Ed Yong, Pulitzer winner and bestselling author of An Immense World "I fell into this book and when I emerged, it had deeply changed the way I see what is, by far, the best planet."--Hank Green, New York Times Best-Selling Author and Science Communicator "Becoming Earth is an astonishing book . . . To read it is to be transformed by a new understanding of our place in what Jabr calls the 'collaborative and improvised performance' that sustains our marvelous home in the Universe."--Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity "Becoming Earth is fascinating, thought-provoking, and, ultimately, inspiring."--Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction "There are times, reading this paradigm-shifting book, when you will feel like you are peering right down into the very heart of our living planet. It is, quite simply, a work of genius."--Robert Moor, bestselling author of On Trails: An Exploration "Gorgeously written and brimming with fascinating science and provocative ideas, Becoming Earth is a book about transformation that is itself transformative."--Dan Fagin, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Toms River "We tend to take our rare jewel of a home planet for granted. In his startlingly beautiful and insightful book, Becoming Earth, Ferris Jabr shows us exactly why we shouldn't."--Deborah Blum, Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Poison Squad "This wondrous book reveals our living planet for the miracle that it is. By the end, you may even feel that 'miracle' is an understatement. The story of Earth is the story of a planet reworked, remade--and, to an astonishing degree, created--by life itself. Wow."--Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel "Thrilling. Ferris Jabr reveals the fascinating and cutting edge science of life's intricate connections with Earth's chemistry, water cycle, rock record, soil, and air. The result is more than excellent science journalism--it evokes wonder."--Tyler Volk, Earth system scientist, New York University, author of Gaia's Body: Toward a Physiology of Earth
"Ferris Jabr presents a fresh and compelling argument that Earth is a living planet. A fascinating read that should help everyone appreciate the splendor of our natural environment."--James Kasting, Professor of Geosciences, Penn State University
"Ferris Jabr presents a fresh and compelling argument that Earth is a living planet. A fascinating read that should help everyone appreciate the splendor of our natural environment."--James Kasting, Professor of Geosciences, Penn State University
