The Great Basin by
Covering a large swath of the American West, the Great Basin, centered in Nevada and including parts of California, Utah, and Oregon, is named for the unusual fact that none of its rivers or streams flow into the sea. This fascinating illustrated journey through deep time is the definitive environmental and human history of this beautiful and little traveled region, home to Death Valley, the Great Salt Lake, Lake Tahoe, and the Bonneville Salt Flats. Donald K. Grayson synthesizes what we now know about the past 25,000 years in the Great Basin--its climate, lakes, glaciers, plants, animals, and peoples--based on information gleaned from the region's exquisite natural archives in such repositories as lake cores, packrat middens, tree rings, and archaeological sites. A perfect guide for students, scholars, travelers, and general readers alike, the book weaves together history, archaeology, botany, geology, biogeography, and other disciplines into one compelling panorama across a truly unique American landscape.
Igneous Rocks by
Decades of field and microscope studies, and more recent quantitative geochemical analyses have resulted in a vast, and sometimes overwhelming, array of nomenclature and terminology associated with igneous rocks. This book presents a complete classification of igneous rocks based on all the recommendations of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) Subcommission on the Systematics of Igneous Rocks. The glossary of igneous terms has been fully updated since the first edition and now includes 1637 entries, of which 316 are recommended by the Subcommission. Incorporating a comprehensive bibliography of source references for all the terms included in the glossary, this book is an indispensable reference guide for all geologists studying igneous rocks, either in the field or the laboratory. It presents a standardised and widely accepted naming scheme that will allow geologists to interpret terminology in the primary literature and provide formal names for rock samples based on petrographic analyses. It is also supported by a website with downloadable code for chemical classifications.
The Man Who Found Time: James Hutton and the Discovery of Earth's Antiquity by
There are three men whose life’s work helped free science from the strait-jacket of religion. Two of the threeNicolaus Copernicus and Charles Darwinare widely heralded for their breakthroughs. The third, James Hutton, is comparatively unknown, yet he profoundly changed our understanding of the earth, its age, and its dynamic forces. A Scottish gentleman farmer, Hutton’s observations on his small tract of land led him to a theory that directly contradicted biblical claims that the Earth was only 6,000 years old. This expertly crafted narrative tells the story not only of Hutton, but also of Scotland and the Scottish Enlightenment, including many of the greatest thinkers of the age, such as David Hume and Adam Smith.
Nature's Clocks by
"Radioactivity is like a clock that never needs adjusting," writes Doug Macdougall. "It would be hard to design a more reliable timekeeper." In Nature's Clocks, Macdougall tells how scientists who were seeking to understand the past arrived at the ingenious techniques they now use to determine the age of objects and organisms. By examining radiocarbon (C-14) dating--the best known of these methods--and several other techniques that geologists use to decode the distant past, Macdougall unwraps the last century's advances, explaining how they reveal the age of our fossil ancestors such as "Lucy," the timing of the dinosaurs' extinction, and the precise ages of tiny mineral grains that date from the beginning of the earth's history. In lively and accessible prose, he describes how the science of geochronology has developed and flourished. Relating these advances through the stories of the scientists themselves--James Hutton, William Smith, Arthur Holmes, Ernest Rutherford, Willard Libby, and Clair Patterson--Macdougall shows how they used ingenuity and inspiration to construct one of modern science's most significant accomplishments: a timescale for the earth's evolution and human prehistory.
Pollution of Lakes and Rivers: A Paleoenvironmental Perspective by
Now in its second edition, Pollution of Lakes and Rivers provides essential insights into present-day water quality problems from an international perspective. Explains simply and effectively how lake sediments can be used to reconstruct pollution history Includes over 200 additional references and a new chapter on recent climatic change and its effects on water quality and quantity Tackles present-day water quality problems from an international perspective Previously published by Hodder Arnold PowerPoint slides of the artwork from the book are available from: http://post.queensu.ca/~pearl/textbook.htm Reviews: "This is a very well-written and wide-ranging volume that is both instructive and topical. It is likely to prove useful as an introduction to the general area, a reference source and for teaching purposes." (The Holocene, November 2008) "If you thought that paleolimnology was just mud, pollen, and diatoms then you will likely be both struck by the complexity of this field of research and grateful that John Smol, FRSC, has described it so clearly and broadly. Simply put, the second edition is an excellent book." ( Journal of Phycology, 2008) "This is a useful text. It provides a good level of detail so that the beginner in this area can appreciate what palaeolimnology can (and cannot) achieve. It goes beyond the simple introduction to provide a detailed understanding of how techniques can be applied ... This is a different take on the usual pollution text and would be of great use to those wishing to understand more from sedimentary records." Taken from the British Ecological Society's Teaching Ecology website "John Smol has extensive experience in this field of paleoenvironmental research which he combines well with his excellent written communication skills to produce a text that is easy to read but also thought provoking." (Quaternary Science Reviews, 2009) "The breadth of coverage in this text is impressive." (Lake and Reservoir Management, 2009) "If I could speak with fluidity and clarity in my lectures as consistently as John Smol writes my students would be very grateful." (Journal of Paleolimnology, 2009)
Time Matters by
Time Matters provides an invaluable insight into the background behind some of the key concepts we use in Earth science today. It shows the historical context in which these ideas were developed, the important contributions of individual scientists and thinkers, and how these ideas continue to shape our view of science and the world in which we live. The book covers subjects such as the age of the earth, catastrophism vs uniformitarianism, evolution vs creationism, plutonism vs neptunism, continental drift and plate tectonics. It explores the people involved, their ideas and the scientific and religious power politics involved in the development. It is effectively partly a review of the way in which science works or does not work. The text includes questions and comment boxes which help the reader to appreciate/understand the ideas and concepts that have been included and their problems, strengths or weaknesses. Accessible introduction - does not assume prior knowledge Teaches scientific thought - particularly the use of evidence Topic based - uses a set of key geological theories This book is written for anyone with an interest in geology and the history of science, but will be particularly valuable to university or high-school students beginning a study of earth science for the first time.
Uncertainty Underground by
Despite approval by Congress and the Bush administration and over seven billion dollars already spent, the Yucca Mountain, Nevada, site for disposal of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel is not yet in operation. The reasons for the delay lie not only in citizen and activist opposition to the project but also in the numerous scientific and technical issues that remain unresolved. Although many scientists favor geologic disposal of high-level nuclear waste, there are substantial unknowns in projecting the performance of a site over the tens to hundreds of thousands of years that may be required by Environmental Protection Agency standards. Uncertainty Underground is the first effort to review the uncertainties in the analysis of the long-term performance of the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. The book does not pass judgment on the suitability of the site but provides reliable science-based information to support open debate and inquiry into its safety. Experts from the geosciences, industry, and government review different aspects of the repository system, focusing on the uncertainties inherent in each. After an overview of the historical and regulatory context, the contributors investigate external factors (including climate change and volcanic activity) that could affect repository performance and then turn to topics concerning the repository itself. These include hydrologic issues, the geological conditions with which the nuclear waste in the repository would interact, and the predicted behavior of the different kinds of waste and waste package materials. Uncertainty Underground succeeds in making these important technical issues understandable to a wide audience, including policymakers and the general public.
Underland by
In Underland, Macfarlane delivers his masterpiece: an epic exploration of the Earth's underworlds as they exist in myth, literature, memory, and the land itself. He takes us on an extraordinary journey into our relationship with darkness, burial, and what lies beneath the surface of both place and mind. Traveling through "deep time"--The dizzying expanses of geologic time that stretch away from the present--he moves from the birth of the universe to a post-human future, from the prehistoric art of Norwegian sea caves to the blue depths of the Greenland ice cap, from Bronze Age funeral chambers to the catacomb labyrinth below Paris, and from the underground fungal networks through which trees communicate to a deep-sunk "hiding place" where nuclear waste will be stored for 100,000 years to come. Woven through Macfarlane's own travels are the unforgettable stories of descents into the underland made across history by explorers, artists, cavers, divers, mourners, dreamers, and murderers, all of whom have been drawn for different reasons to seek what Cormac McCarthy calls "the awful darkness within the world." Global in its geography and written with great lyricism and power, Underland speaks powerfully to our present moment. At once ancient and urgent, this is a book that will change the way you see the world."
The Universe Within by
In Your Inner Fish, Neil Shubin delved into the amazing connections between human bodies--our hands, heads, and jaws--and the structures in fish and worms that lived hundreds of millions of years ago. In The Universe Within, with his trademark clarity and exuberance, Shubin takes an even more expansive approach to the question of why we look the way we do. Starting once again with fossils, he turns his gaze skyward, showing us 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, Shubin makes clear how the evolution of the cosmos has profoundly marked our own bodies.
Warnings by
In Greek mythology Cassandra foresaw calamities, but was cursed by the gods to be ignored. Modern-day Cassandras clearly predicted the disasters of Katrina, Fukushima, the Great Recession, the rise of ISIS, and many others. Like her, they were ignored. There are others right now warning of impending disasters, but how do we know which warnings are likely to be right? Through riveting explorations in a variety of fields, the authors uncover a method to separate the accurate Cassandras from the crazy doomsayers.
Geological Field Trips in Southern Idaho, Eastern Oregon, and Northern Nevada by
173 page guidebook with detailed descriptions of field trips conducted for the Geological Society of America Meeting in Boise, Idaho, May 2004.
Guidebook to the Geology of Central and Southern Idaho by 
Guidebook to the Geology of Northern and Western Idaho and Surrounding Area by 
Idaho Echoes of Time by 
Roadside Geology of Alaska by 
Roadside Geology of Arizona by 
Roadside Geology of Colorado by 
Roadside Geology of Hawaii by 
Roadside Geology of Idaho by
An introductory chapter briefly reviews Idaho's geology followed by a series of road guides with the local particulars. The authors tell you what the rocks are and what they mean. Useful graphics and charts supplement the text and help you to understand
Roadside Geology of Montana by 
Roadside Geology of New Mexico by 
Roadside Geology of Northern California by 
Roadside Geology of Oregon by 
Roadside Geology of the Northern Rockies by 
Roadside Geology of the Yellowstone Country by 
Roadside Geology of Utah by 
Roadside Geology of Washington by 
Roadside Geology of Wyoming by 
Geology Underfoot in Central Nevada by
The Silver State is a geologist's playground, with great topographic relief exposing spectacular geology. Cutting a wide swath that straddles U.S. 50, Geology Underfoot in Central Nevada explores twenty-on diverse walking and driving tours from Lake Tahoe and Reno east to Great Basin National Park.
Geology Underfoot in Death Valley and Owens Valley by
Eastern California boasts the greatest dryland relief in the contiguous United States, offering a rich variety of environments and spectacular geology. Illustrated with photographs, maps, and diagrams, Geology Underfoot in Death Valley and Owens Valley provides an on-the-ground look at the processes sculpting the terrain in this land of extremes for everyone interested in how the earth works.
Geology Underfoot in Southern Idaho by
Southern Idaho is a geologic jackpot. Etched in its rugged mountains, incredibly young lava fields, and steep-walled canyons lie compelling evidence of amazing geologic events, including breccia from one of the largest meteorite impacts in the world. Join geology professor and author Shawn Willsey as he uses clear prose, concise illustrations, and dramatic photographs to tell the stories of 23 amazing geologic sites. Learn how Ice Age floods carved the Snake River Canyon, how tree molds and lava tubes formed at Craters of the Moon, why 200 individuals of Idaho s state fossil the Hagerman Horse died and were preserved in one place, and where the land surface ruptured during the 1983 Borah Peak earthquake.
Geology Underfoot in Southern Utah by
Standing before any of southern Utah's enigmatic landforms, it's clear, there's a story here. What carved the goblins in Goblin Valley, the domes at Capitol Reef, the towering sandstone walls of Zion Canyon, and Bryce's hoodoo fairyland, not to mention all those arches and natural bridges? _Geology Underfoot in Southern Utah_ explores the stories behind 33 sites - some world-famous, others off the beaten path. Marvel at tales of ancient eruptions, deserts, seas, and swamps; the movements of massive rock units over eons; and the rock's interactions with the life above it, including humankind. Along the way, visit dinosaur trackways, old mines, rock glaciers, oysters in the desert, and much more. Includes 146 black-and-white photographs, 31 maps, 37 black-and-white figures, bibliography, glossary, and index.