Water is the most common, and also the most important substance on Earth. We are hypnotically attracted to its simplicity, purity and transparency, as well as its astonishing physical behaviour, strucural vibrations and ordered flow, not to mention its amazing therapeutic virtues. Despite its prevalence, however, this astonishing molecule still harbours many mysteries. Through the ages, not only scientists but also philosophers and mystics have sought...

"On the Tibetan Plateau, there are wild yaks with blood cells thinner than those of horses' by half, enabling the endangered yaks to survive at 40 below zero and in the lowest oxygen levels of the mountaintops. But climate change is causing the snow patterns here to shift, and with the snows, the entire ecosystem. Food and water are vaporizing in this warming environment, and these beasts of ice and thin air are extraordinarily ill-equipped for the...

"This single-volume resource explores the five major oceans of the world, addressing current issues such as sea rise and climate change and explaining the significance of the oceans from historical, geographic, and cultural perspectives"--

"An insightful, entertaining dive into the fruitful, centuries-long relationship between humans and insects, revealing the fascinating and surprising array of ways humans depend on these minute, six-legged pests"-- When we bite into a shiny apple, listen to the resonant notes of a violin, get dressed, receive a dental implant, or get a manicure, we are the beneficiaries of a vast army of insects. Try as we might to replicate their raw material, our...

"An inspired weaving of indigenous knowledge, plant science, and personal narrative from a distinguished professor of science and a Native American whose previous book, Gathering Moss, was awarded the John Burroughs Medal for outstanding nature writing. As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent a career learning how to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a Potawatomi woman, she learned from elders,...

While a few degrees' rise in the average temperature of Earth's surface may not sound like a catastrophe, the race against climate change is truly a race for survival. At stake are the futures of billions of the planet's inhabitants, including people, animals, and plants. This book examines the causes and consequences of climate change, such as extreme weather and rising sea levels.

"We live in times of enormous change on Earth. While previous shifts from one geological epoch to another were caused by events beyond human control, our addition of carbon to the atmosphere over the past century has moved many scientists to declare the dawn of a new era: the Anthropocene--the Age of Man. This latest geological epoch is rarely associated with positive news. Pointing to climate change, overpopulation, and species extinction, the writers...

A world wide odyssey to capture the images which transcend language to tell the story of the earth's evolution and of human diversity, interconnectedness between humans and nature, and man's impact on the surrounding world. Shot in 24 countries on six continents.