Becoming Earth : How Our Planet Came to Life
Jabr Ferris
Pan Macmillan
Though once scorned by many scientists, the concept of Earth as a vast interconnected living system has gained acceptance in recent decades.
Life not only adapts to its surroundings – it also shapes them in dramatic and enduring ways. Over billions of years, life transformed a lump of orbiting rock into our cosmic oasis, breathing oxygen into the atmosphere, concocting the modern oceans, and turning rock into fertile soil. Life is intertwined with Earth’s capacity to regulate its climate and maintain balance.