Catastrophes And Lesser Calamities The Causes Of Mass Extinctions

Catastrophes And Lesser Calamities The Causes Of Mass Extinctions Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of Catastrophes And Lesser Calamities The Causes Of Mass Extinctions book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.

Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities

Anthony Hallam
Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities Book PDF

Author : Anthony Hallam
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 244 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2005-07-14
Category : Nature
ISBN : 0192806688

Get Book

Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities by Anthony Hallam Pdf

This is a book about the dramatic periods in the Earth's history called mass extinctions - short periods (by geological standards) when life nearly died out on Earth. The most famous is the mass extinction that happened about 65 million years ago, and that caused the death of the dinosaurs. But that was not the worst mass extinction: that honour goes to the extinction at the end of the Permian Period, about 250 million years ago, when over 90% of life is thought to have becomeextinct.What caused these catastrophes? Was it the effects of a massive meteorite impact? There is evidence for such an impact about 65 million years ago. Or was it a period of massive volcanic activity? There is evidence in the rocks of huge lava flows at periods that match several of the mass extinctions. Was it something to do with climate change and sea level? Or was it a combination of some or all of these?The question has been haunting geologists for a number of years, and it forms one of the most exciting areas of research in geology today. In this book, Tony Hallam, a distinguished geologist and writer, looks at all the different theories and also what the study of mass extinctions might tell us about the future. If climate change is a key factor, we may well, as some scientists have suggested, be in a period of mass extinction of our own making.

Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities

Tony Hallam
Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities Book PDF

Author : Tony Hallam
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 288 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2005-07-14
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780191578151

Get Book

Catastrophes and Lesser Calamities by Tony Hallam Pdf

This is a book about the dramatic periods in the Earth's history called mass extinctions - short periods (by geological standards) when life nearly died out on Earth. The most famous is the mass extinction that happened about 65 million years ago, and that caused the death of the dinosaurs. But that was not the worst mass extinction: that honour goes to the extinction at the end of the Permian Period, about 250 million years ago, when over 90% of life is thought to have become extinct. What caused these catastrophes? Was it the effects of a massive meteorite impact? There is evidence for such an impact about 65 million years ago. Or was it a period of massive volcanic activity? There is evidence in the rocks of huge lava flows at periods that match several of the mass extinctions. Was it something to do with climate change and sea level? Or was it a combination of some or all of these? The question has been haunting geologists for a number of years, and it forms one of the most exciting areas of research in geology today. In this book, Tony Hallam, a distinguished geologist and writer, looks at all the different theories and also what the study of mass extinctions might tell us about the future. If climate change is a key factor, we may well, as some scientists have suggested, be in a period of mass extinction of our own making.

Evolution

Michael Ruse,Joseph Travis
Evolution Book PDF

Author : Michael Ruse,Joseph Travis
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Page : 1020 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 2009-02-28
Category : History
ISBN : 067403175X

Get Book

Evolution by Michael Ruse,Joseph Travis Pdf

Spanning evolutionary science from its inception to its latest findings, from discoveries and data to philosophy and history, this book is the most complete, authoritative, and inviting one-volume introduction to evolutionary biology available. Clear, informative, and comprehensive in scope, Evolution opens with a series of major essays dealing with the history and philosophy of evolutionary biology, with major empirical and theoretical questions in the science, from speciation to adaptation, from paleontology to evolutionary development (evo devo), and concluding with essays on the social and political significance of evolutionary biology today. A second encyclopedic section travels the spectrum of topics in evolution with concise, informative, and accessible entries on individuals from Aristotle and Linneaus to Louis Leakey and Jean Lamarck; from T. H. Huxley and E. O. Wilson to Joseph Felsenstein and Motoo Kimura; and on subjects from altruism and amphibians to evolutionary psychology and Piltdown Man to the Scopes trial and social Darwinism. Readers will find the latest word on the history and philosophy of evolution, the nuances of the science itself, and the intricate interplay among evolutionary study, religion, philosophy, and society. Appearing at the beginning of the Darwin Year of 2009—the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the Origin of Species—this volume is a fitting tribute to the science Darwin set in motion.

Catastrophes!

Donald R. Prothero
Catastrophes Book PDF

Author : Donald R. Prothero
Publisher : JHU Press
Page : 358 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2011-04-01
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781421401478

Get Book

Catastrophes! by Donald R. Prothero Pdf

Devastating natural disasters have profoundly shaped human history, leaving us with a respect for the mighty power of the earth—and a humbling view of our future. Paleontologist and geologist Donald R. Prothero tells the harrowing human stories behind these catastrophic events. Prothero describes in gripping detail some of the most important natural disasters in history: • the New Madrid, Missouri, earthquakes of 1811–1812 that caused church bells to ring in Boston • the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people • the massive volcanic eruptions of Krakatau, Mount Tambora, Mount Vesuvius, Mount St. Helens, and Nevado del Ruiz His clear and straightforward explanations of the forces that caused these disasters accompany gut-wrenching accounts of terrifying human experiences and a staggering loss of human life. Floods that wash out whole regions, earthquakes that level a single country, hurricanes that destroy everything in their path—all are here to remind us of how little control we have over the natural world. Dramatic photographs and eyewitness accounts recall the devastation wrought by these events, and the people—both heroes and fools—that are caught up in the earth's relentless forces. Eerie, fascinating, and often moving, these tales of geologic history and human fortitude and folly will stay with you long after you put the book down.

Pandora's Garden

Clinton Crockett Peters
Pandora s Garden Book PDF

Author : Clinton Crockett Peters
Publisher : University of Georgia Press
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2018
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780820353203

Get Book

Pandora's Garden by Clinton Crockett Peters Pdf

Pandora's Garden profiles invasive or unwanted species in the natural world and examines how our treatment of these creatures sometimes parallels in surprising ways how we treat each other. Part essay, part nature writing, part narrative nonfiction, the chapters in Pandora's Garden are like the biospheres of the globe; as the successive chapters unfold, they blend together like ecotones, creating a microcosm of the world in which we sustain nonhuman lives but also contain them. There are many reasons particular flora and fauna may be unwanted, from the physical to the psychological. Sometimes they may possess inherent qualities that when revealed help us to interrogate human perception and our relationship to an unwanted other. Pandora's Garden is primarily about creatures that humans don't get along with, such as rattlesnakes and sharks, but the chapters also take on a range of other subjects, including stolen children in Australia, the treatment of illegal immigrants in Texas, and the disgust function of the human limbic system. Peters interweaves these diverse subjects into a whole that mirrors the evolving and interrelated world whose surprises and oddities he delights in revealing.

Nature of Science in Science Instruction

William McComas
Nature of Science in Science Instruction Book PDF

Author : William McComas
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 745 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2020-08-24
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783030572396

Get Book

Nature of Science in Science Instruction by William McComas Pdf

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to Nature of Science (NOS), one of the most important aspects of science teaching and learning, and includes tested strategies for teaching aspects of the NOS in a variety of instructional settings. In line with the recommendations in the field to include NOS in all plans for science instruction, the book provides an accessible resource of background information on NOS, rationales for teaching these targeted NOS aspects, and – most importantly – how to teach about the nature of science in specific instructional contexts. The first section examines the why and what of NOS, its nature, and what research says about how to teach NOS in science settings. The second section focuses on extending knowledge about NOS to question of scientific method, theory-laden observation, the role of experiments and observations and distinctions between science, engineering and technology. The dominant theme of the remainder of the book is a focus on teaching aspects of NOS applicable to a wide variety of instructional environments.

Time Matters

Michael Leddra
Time Matters Book PDF

Author : Michael Leddra
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 288 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2010-04-09
Category : Science
ISBN : 1444323261

Get Book

Time Matters by Michael Leddra Pdf

Time Matters provides an invaluable insight into thebackground behind some of the key concepts we use in Earth sciencetoday. It shows the historical context in which these ideas weredeveloped, the important contributions of individual scientists andthinkers, and how these ideas continue to shape our view of scienceand 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. Itexplores the people involved, their ideas and the scientific andreligious power politics involved in the development. It iseffectively partly a review of the way in which science works ordoes not work. The text includes questions and comment boxes whichhelp the reader to appreciate/understand the ideas and conceptsthat have been included and their problems, strengths orweaknesses. Accessible introduction – does not assume priorknowledge Teaches scientific thought – particularly the use ofevidence Topic based – uses a set of key geological theories This book is written for anyone with an interest in geology andthe history of science, but will be particularly valuable touniversity or high-school students beginning a study of earthscience for the first time.

Encyclopedia of Anthropology

H. James Birx
Encyclopedia of Anthropology Book PDF

Author : H. James Birx
Publisher : SAGE Publications
Page : 3128 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2005-12-08
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781506320038

Get Book

Encyclopedia of Anthropology by H. James Birx Pdf

This five-volume Encyclopedia of Anthropology is a unique collection of over 1,000 entries that focuses on topics in physical anthropology, archaeology, cultural anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology. Also included are relevant articles on geology, paleontology, biology, evolution, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and theology. The contributions are authored by over 250 internationally renowned experts, professors, and scholars from some of the most distinguished museums, universities, and institutes in the world. Special attention is given to human evolution, primate behavior, genetics, ancient civilizations, sociocultural theories, and the value of human language for symbolic communication.

Media, Culture and Human Violence

Jeff Lewis
Media Culture and Human Violence Book PDF

Author : Jeff Lewis
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 299 pages
File Size : 45,7 Mb
Release : 2015-11-18
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781783485161

Get Book

Media, Culture and Human Violence by Jeff Lewis Pdf

Humans of the advanced world are the most violent beings of all times. This violence is evident in the conditions of perpetual warfare and the accumulation of the most powerful and destructive arsenal ever known to humankind. It is also evident in the devastating impact of advanced world economy and cultural practices which have led to ecological devastation and the current era of mass species extinction. —one of only six mass extinction events in planetary history and the only one caused by the actions of a single species, humans. This violence is manifest in our interpersonal relationships, and the ways in which we organize ourselves through hierarchical systems that ensure the wealth and privilege of some, against the penury and misery of others. In this new and highly original book, Jeff Lewisargues that violence is deeply inscribed in human culture, thinking and expressive systems (media). Lewis contends that violence is not an inescapable feature of an aggressive human nature. Rather, violence is laced through our desires and dispositions to communalism and expressive interaction. From the near extinction of all Homo sapiens, around 74,000 years ago, the invention of culture and media enabled humans to imagine and articulate particular choices and pleasures. Organized intergroup violence or warfare emerged through the exercise of these choices and their expression through larger and increasingly complex human societies. This agitation of amplified desire, hierarchical social organization and mediated knowledge systems has created a cultural volition of violent complexity which continues into the present. Media, Culture and Human Violence examines the current conditions of conflict and harm as an expression of our violent complexity.

Encyclopedia of Environmental Change

John A Matthews
Encyclopedia of Environmental Change Book PDF

Author : John A Matthews
Publisher : SAGE
Page : 3227 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2013-12-13
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781473928190

Get Book

Encyclopedia of Environmental Change by John A Matthews Pdf

Accessibly written by a team of international authors, the Encyclopedia of Environmental Change provides a gateway to the complex facts, concepts, techniques, methodology and philosophy of environmental change. This three-volume set illustrates and examines topics within this dynamic and rapidly changing interdisciplinary field. The encyclopedia includes all of the following aspects of environmental change: Diverse evidence of environmental change, including climate change and changes on land and in the oceans Underlying natural and anthropogenic causes and mechanisms Wide-ranging local, regional and global impacts from the polar regions to the tropics Responses of geo-ecosystems and human-environmental systems in the face of past, present and future environmental change Approaches, methodologies and techniques used for reconstructing, dating, monitoring, modelling, projecting and predicting change Social, economic and political dimensions of environmental issues, environmental conservation and management and environmental policy Over 4,000 entries explore the following key themes and more: Conservation Demographic change Environmental management Environmental policy Environmental security Food security Glaciation Green Revolution Human impact on environment Industrialization Landuse change Military impacts on environment Mining and mining impacts Nuclear energy Pollution Renewable resources Solar energy Sustainability Tourism Trade Water resources Water security Wildlife conservation The comprehensive coverage of terminology includes layers of entries ranging from one-line definitions to short essays, making this an invaluable companion for any student of physical geography, environmental geography or environmental sciences.

Natural Hazards

Edward A. Keller,Duane E. DeVecchio,John Clague
Natural Hazards Book PDF

Author : Edward A. Keller,Duane E. DeVecchio,John Clague
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 1009 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2016-10-04
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781351978217

Get Book

Natural Hazards by Edward A. Keller,Duane E. DeVecchio,John Clague Pdf

Natural Hazards focuses on hazards as the interface between humanity and its needs for space and resources, as well as on the ongoing geologic processes of Earth and features many new Canadian examples and discussions while retaining the best U.S. and international illustrations. The third Canadian edition strikes an ideal balance between the scientific and the human aspects of natural hazards, combining basic scientific principles within a solid social framework.

Greenhouse of the Dinosaurs

Donald R. Prothero
Greenhouse of the Dinosaurs Book PDF

Author : Donald R. Prothero
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Page : 289 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2009
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780231146609

Get Book

Greenhouse of the Dinosaurs by Donald R. Prothero Pdf

Donald R. Prothero's science books combine leading research with first-person narratives of discovery, injecting warmth and familiarity into a profession that has much to offer nonspecialists. Bringing his trademark style and wit to an increasingly relevant subject of concern, Prothero links the climate changes that have occurred over the past 200 million years to their effects on plants and animals. In particular, he contrasts the extinctions that ended the Cretaceous period, which wiped out the dinosaurs, with those of the later Eocene and Oligocene epochs. Prothero begins with the "greenhouse of the dinosaurs," the global-warming episode that dominated the Age of Dinosaurs and the early Age of Mammals. He describes the remarkable creatures that once populated the earth and draws on his experiences collecting fossils in the Big Badlands of South Dakota to sketch their world. Prothero then discusses the growth of the first Antarctic glaciers, which marked the Eocene-Oligocene transition, and shares his own anecdotes of excavations and controversies among colleagues that have shaped our understanding of the contemporary and prehistoric world. The volume concludes with observations about Nisqually Glacier and other locations that show how global warming is happening much quicker than previously predicted, irrevocably changing the balance of the earth's thermostat. Engaging scientists and general readers alike, Greenhouse of the Dinosaurs connects events across thousands of millennia to make clear the human threat to natural climate change.

Evolutionary Catastrophes

V. Courtillot,Vincent Courtillot
Evolutionary Catastrophes Book PDF

Author : V. Courtillot,Vincent Courtillot
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2002-03-07
Category : Nature
ISBN : 0521891183

Get Book

Evolutionary Catastrophes by V. Courtillot,Vincent Courtillot Pdf

Mass extinction and cataclysmic volcanic activity: will fascinate everyone interested in the history of life and death on our planet.

Megacatastrophes!

David Darling,Dirk Schulze-Makuch
Megacatastrophes Book PDF

Author : David Darling,Dirk Schulze-Makuch
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 224 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2012-04-01
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781780740270

Get Book

Megacatastrophes! by David Darling,Dirk Schulze-Makuch Pdf

Acerbic dark humour meets hardcore science in this mind-boggling exploration of the nine worst ways the world could end Which will get us first? The supervolcano in Yellowstone National Park? An asteroid hurtling through outer space? Black holes from CERN gobbling up the solar system? An army of deranged nanobots? Or – who knows – alien invasion? Armed with lavish illustrations and their one-of-a-kind “Catastrophometer”, Dr David Darling and Dr Dirk Schulze-Makuch introduce the disasters you never saw coming, unpicking the science that makes them genuine possibilities, and providing everything from survival tips to danger ratings. So sit back, face the inevitable, and discover the delights of the nine oddest ways the world could end.

Encyclopedia of Environment and Society

Paul Robbins
Encyclopedia of Environment and Society Book PDF

Author : Paul Robbins
Publisher : SAGE Publications
Page : 2736 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2007-08-27
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781452265582

Get Book

Encyclopedia of Environment and Society by Paul Robbins Pdf

The Encyclopedia of Environment and Society brings together multiplying issues, concepts, theories, examples, problems, and policies, with the goal of clearly explicating an emerging way of thinking about people and nature. With more than 1,200 entries written by experts from incredibly diverse fields, this innovative resource is a first step toward diving into the deep pool of emerging knowledge. The five volumes of this Encyclopedia represent more than a catalogue of terms. Rather, they capture the spirit of the moment, a fascinating time when global warming and genetic engineering represent only two of the most obvious examples of socio-environmental issues.