E-Book Overview
Here is a book for everyone who has an interest in how our planet works, what has happened during its 4,550 million year history and what might happen in the future. It tells how Earth scientists study the pattern of events that have shaped the planet and guided the evolution of life on Earth. In clear and simple language it describes how the effects of these events are measured and the careful detective work needed to unravel the extraordinary complexity of Earth history. The latest advances in dating methods, including the detection of regular patterns of global climate change, are explained and illustrated with real case histories. Our environment is unexpectedly unstable. Dramatic and catastrophic changes in the environment have directed the evolution of life and the rise of Man, and we can expect similar events in the future. If we are to control their effects, we will have to understand what to expect - and what could happen if we try to intervene in the 'natural' development of our home, the Earth.
E-Book Content
The Key to the Future
Science Spectra Book Series Series Editor: Vivian Moses, Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, UK Volume 1 The Key to the Future by John Cater This book is part of a series. The publisher will accept continuation orders which may be cancelled at any time and which provide for automatic billing and shipping of each title in the series upon publication. Please write for details.
The Key to the Future The Study of Earth History
John Cater PhD FGS
London and New York
First published 2002 by Taylor & Francis 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Taylor & Francis Inc, 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Taylor & Francis is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge's collection of thousand of eBook please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.” © 2002 Taylor and Francis The right of John Cater to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN 0-203-30148-X Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-34564-9 (Adobe e-Reader Format) ISBN 0-415-27877-5 (Print Edition) (HB) ISBN 0-415-27876-7 (Print Edition) (PB)
For all the Steves from John the Rock Doctor
CHUG!
Contents
Acknowledgments Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7
ix
What it’s all about The study of Earth history Evidence of ancient environments Clocks of all sorts Events as time markers Snapshots from the past The big picture
1 5 25 55 66 91 109
Suggestions for further reading Index
114 117
Acknowledgments I want to thank Toine Wonders and Djin Nio for their contributions to this story. The opinions expressed are mine but much of the credit for its content is theirs. The faith and encouragement of my colleagues and friends has been invaluable—particularly from John Smewing, Alison Ries, Ed Bell, Bruce Sellwood and John Athersuch. The curiosity of friends like Steve Smith and Steve Cox inspired me to tell the story as I have. The book would never have been written witho