The Earth - by Elsa Panciroli

Book Synopsis

It is difficult to conceive of the vast scale of the history of life on Earth, from the very first living organisms that developed in hydrothermal deep-sea vents to the diversity of life today. The evolution of life is a sweeping epic of a tale, with twists and turns, surprising heroes and unlikely survivors. The Earth beautifully distills this complex story into a meaningful scale. In taking a closer look at 50 carefully selected organisms over ten epochs in our planetary history, this book tells the whole story of life on Earth.

Prepare to be confounded by the ingenuity of evolutionary biologies, humbled by our own brief part in this epic history, and disquieted by our disproportionate impact on the world we call home.

About the Author

Dr Elsa Panciroli is a Scottish palaeontologist interested in the origins of modern ecosystems. She works on Jurassic fossils from the Isle of Skye, and is especially interested in the origins and evolution of mammals. Based at the University of Oxford, she writes about science and gives regular public talks for all ages. She has spoken at events such as the Edinburgh Science Festival, Popularising Palaeontology, the Inverness Science Festival, and the Hugh Miller's Legacy Conference. Find her on twitter @gsciencelady