Background Reading For Geologists

1. Background Reading For Geologists I.G. Kenyon

2. The evidence for the Earth being totally encased in ice or a combination of ice and slush between 650 and 800 million years ago Joe Kirschvink proposed the theory but research by Paul Hoffman led to the idea being accepted by many earth scientists today May also help to explain the evolution of complex life forms

3. A highly readable account of the nature of ice ages throughout the Earth’s history Outlines the evolution of scientific understanding of ice ages since the introduction of the term by Louis Agassiz in the 1830s Includes possible causes of ice ages with reference to Milankovitch cycles and reconstructing past climates using ice core evidence

4. This book outlines the evolution of plants through geological time and their effect on the Earth’s atmosphere and biosphere It explains how fossil plants can be used to reconstruct climates and the gaseous composition of the atmosphere back through geological time If you think plants are not that exciting or significant, this book will seriously change your views for ever

5. This book uses coral as a vehicle to explore a variety of scientific themes and issues in a readable and informative manner Includes reference to evolution, symbiosis, atoll formation, atomic bomb tests, climate change and fluctuating sea levels

6. This book outlines the quest to find evidence for life in the rocks before the Cambrian Explosion A fascinating account of early life including reference to trace fossils, the Ediacaran Fauna and the Burgess Shale New evidence from the rocks of Siberia to Outer Mongolia reveal details of early life Darwin only theorized about

7. The story of the greatest and most catastrophic volcanic eruption of the 20th Century Mount Pelee on the island of Martinique erupted on May 8th 1902 The town of Saint-Pierre was wiped out by a pyroclastic flow which killed almost all of the 27,000 inhabitants

8. The story of the quest to accurately determine the absolute age of planet Earth The age was constantly revised upwards from 4004 BC to 4,567 Million years The man who finally established the true age of the Earth was Arthur Holmes

9. This book examines the extraordinary story of mankind’s quest to uncover the history of the Earth It examines the contributions of important geologists that have paved the way to our current understanding of Earth system processes

10. The story of James Hutton and his discovery of the concept of ‘deep time’ and the formulation of his ‘Theory of the Earth’ Hutton’s simple observations led him to a conclusion that gave Darwin the spark to fully develop his own theory of Evolution

11. Ted Nield tells the story of how the world has been made and re-made over the last four billion years It explains the evidence for the supercontinent cycle and describes the formation and break up of the Earth’s major supercontinents through geological time

12. This book examines the importance of the Northern Scottish Highlands in our understanding of geological processes and landforms It focuses on the rocks, the important localities, the famous researchers and the theories that have been inspired by the Highlands

13. An account of the 1993 eruption of Galeras in Columbia Author Stanley Williams was almost killed by the unexpected eruption Williams returned after recovering to do more research on the volcano

14. A tale of intrigue and deception, burning ambition and failed dreams Documents the bitter clashes between the men who dominated 19th Century Geology Includes reference to Mary Anning, Gideon Mantell, William Buckland, Thomas Huxley and Charles Darwin

15. Story of the discovery and interpretation of Archaeopteryx a fossil that has both avian and reptilian characteristics One of Darwin’s missing links or an elaborate fake? An amazing account of rivalry, jealousy and skullduggery –just like a good crime novel

16. The story of the A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius Told through the eyes of Marius Attilius Primus, an engineer in charge of a large aqueduct that supplies Pompeii and eight other cities nearby Powerful, chilling and convincing in every detail

17. An account of the impact of James Hutton’s revolutionary concept of deep time and his Theory of the Earth Baxter, a leading science writer, employs his storytelling skills to lucid effect in a highly readable biography of a fascinating, neglected figure

18. An account of the eruption of Krakatoa, West of Java on 27th August 1883 Includes anecdotes, eyewitness accounts and an interesting cast of characters Also looks at the much wider global impact of the event

19. An insight into the work of volcanologists by former Time magazine correspondent Dick Thompson Examines in detail the events of Mount St. Helens, Mount Pinatubo and Nevado Del Ruiz volcanoes from the notes of field geologists

20. An account of the many possible causes of the greatest mass extinction of all time 251 million years ago at the end of the Permian 95% of all life died out Mike Benton of Bristol University combines a good story with valuable reference material

21. Jan Zalasiewicz of Leicester University ponders what the Earth will be like in 100 million years from now What record will be left in the rocks of man’s existence on planet Earth? Will there be any evidence of our urban stratum? Original, thought-provoking and challenging

22. The story of canal engineer William Smith and his quest to publish the first geological map of England and Wales An exciting tale of success against the odds and one that all students of Geology seriously need to read

23. Detailed account of the importance of the Burgess Shale in British Columbia Dated at 530 million years old it is one of the oldest lagerstatten found to date Gould explains its evolutionary importance in a highly readable and informative manner

24. A comprehensive guide to the causes of mass extinctions throughout Earth’s history Hallam focuses on the ‘Big Five’ mass extinctions Includes reference to extra-terrestrial impacts, flood basalt eruptions, ocean anoxia and sea level changes

25. An account of the history of planet Earth over its 12 billion year life history Explains clearly the processes that account for why Earth is as it is today Projects forward to the end of the planet when the sun turns into a red giant and how the Earth will change as time elapses

26. An account of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, California A detailed analysis of the causes and consequences of the magnitude 7.9 event An illuminating analysis of how western cities cope (or not) with geological hazards

27. Geological Hazards such as meteorite impacts, flood basalts, glaciations, tsunamis and hurricanes threaten planet Earth Bill McGuire guides us through the latest approaches being researched to prevent global catastrophes or at least minimise their effects

28. Another book on the importance of the Burgess Shale in British Columbia Morris paints a vivid picture of the critical period which saw the diversification of all the major animal groups and takes a controversial stance on current evolutionary theories

29. Nick Lane reconstructs the history of life by describing the ten greatest inventions of evolution He considers how DNA, photosynthesis, sex, sight, movement, hot blood and other inventions have transformed life and planet Earth itself

30. The questions that need addressing with respect to future climate change Global warming, carbon dioxide emissions, sea level rises, melting ice sheets, extinction rates Can we cope with the consequences ? Is there political will to act before it is too late?

31. Bill Mc Guire outlines a variety of possible causes of mass extinctions Meteorite impacts, global warming, glaciations, flood basalt eruptions, megaquakes and tsunamis The frequency and magnitude of each event is assessed and their impact on the Earth is estimated

32. An account of the importance and effect that oxygen has had on the evolution of life How and why oxygen levels have varied through geological time Lane employs a multi-disciplinary approach to explain the complex roles of this unique gas

33. The story of human evolution from 6 to 7 million years ago to the present day The main fossil sites are described as are the key discoveries and the basic facts about each species Physique, diet, tools, cave paintings and geographical dispersal

34. Detailed account of the asteroid impact on Earth 65 million years ago Evidence is presented from the Chixulub crater itself, the iridium rich K-T boundary layer, tektites and tsunami deposits The impact wiped out the dinosaurs around 70% of all life on Earth l

35. Climate change during the medieval period Between the 16th and 19th centuries the Earth’s climate was considerably cooler than today This book examines the possible causes of the Little Ice Age and outlines its impact on the environment and society

36. Palaeontological mystery story that provides an overview of the evidence for and against a range of hypotheses to explain the greatest mass extinction on the Earth to date Told from the point of a forensic scientist trying to piece together a quarter of a billion year old crime scene

37. The rocks of the UK contain the story of distant geological events Richard Fortey travels throughout the British Isles examining the rocks to deuce past landforms, climates and oceans in chronological order from the Precambrian up to the present day

38. Geologist and creationist Caldwell attempts to put geological features and events into context with what is written in the bible A short but interesting read, however the author fails to convince on every level

39. Gripping account of the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, the largest and most notable in history 3 main tremors occurred with the magnitudes being estimated at 8.75 to 9.0, intensities of IX to XI were given based on eyewitness observation of the damage 15 minutes later the city of Lisbon lay in ruins

40. Novel centred around a couple’s holiday to Sorrento Mount Vesuvius erupts during their vacation and results in the most remarkable holiday that they have ever had As the death toll mounts, the holiday couple are given the opportunity to help in the crisis

41. Account of the possible events leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago Nemesis is the companion star to our sun which comes close enough to the sun every 26 million years to bombard our solar system with millions or even billions of comets

42. The story of the closure of the Tethys Ocean Tethys stretched across four-fifths of the Earth Tethys teemed with life but also experienced devastating extinctions Existed from100 million years ago to 5.5 million years ago

43. A scientific whodunnit to find the cause of the mass extinction that occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period Asteroid impact, flood basalt eruptions or a combination of the two?

44. The story of Elizabeth Philpot and Mary Anning, two very important female palaeontologists Set in the early 19th century in Lyme Regis it is a combination of historical novel and science writing Chevalier’s chief aim of this book was to make the study of fossils sexy!

45. 25 separate chapters with each one devoted to an important episode in the making of Geology The stories move from documentary accounts to fictional recreations of historical events Based on the geological highlights of Yorkshire

46. The unexpected story of how one creature’s journey out of the water made the human body what it is today! Why is it that fish teeth are similar to human breasts? Why do we hiccup? The answer is in the way that fish breathe

47. Author Jerry Coyne outlines what evolution is and the claims that it makes, and draws together the astonishing range of modern evidence that supports the theory An important update on Darwin’s original ideas presented in a highly readable style

48. Humans share around 98% of their DNA with chimpanzees What is it about the 2% difference in DNA that sets us so far apart? Why have humans evolved so rapidly in the last 160,00 years whilst the apes have remained more or less the same?

49. A guide to the scientific exploration of the oceans Explains the origin and role of the oceans in terms of plate tectonics, climate and evolution through the work of oceanographers both past and present

50. A valuable insight into the background behind the key concepts we use in geology today Outlines the historical contexts in which ideas such as catastrophism, plutonism, neptunism, creationism and uniformitarianism were developed