Historical Atlas of the Earth: A Visual Exploration of the Earth's Physical Past

by Stephen Jay Gould, Robert Osborne (Editor), D. H. Tarling (Editor)

The Historical Atlas of the Earth is the first atlas ever published for the general reader that shows the history of the earth since its formation by revealing the past as an ever-changing succession of worlds. Where previous geological atlases have focused on rocks and fossils, this volume places the chronological development of the earth at the heart of its subject. Each spread deals with a particular period or event in the evolution of the planet, from the Big Bang to the evolution of humans and their effect on the planet. The Historical Atlas of the Earth is a fascinating journey through the history of our planet. Using maps and illustrations to reconstruct the changing geography of the earth, the atlas combines the latest scientific data with a nontechnical approach to this extraordinary story. It is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the past - and future - of the world we inhabit.

Genres: Science

192 pages, Hardcover

First published February 11, 1995

About the author

Stephen Jay Gould was a prominent American paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and historian of science. He was also one of the most influential and widely read writers of popular science of his generation. Gould spent most of his career teaching at Harvard University and working at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Most of Gould's empirical research was on land snails. Gould helped develop the theory of punctuated equilibrium, in which evolutionary stability is marked by instances of rapid change. He contributed to evolutionary developmental biology. In evolutionary theory, he opposed strict selectionism, sociobiology as applied to humans, and evolutionary psychology. He campaigned against creationism and proposed that science and religion should be considered two compatible, complementary fields, or "magisteria," whose authority does not overlap.

Many of Gould's essays were reprinted in collected volumes, such as Ever Since Darwin and The Panda's Thumb, while his popular treatises included books such as The Mismeasure of Man, Wonderful Life and Full House.
-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Tim Pendry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although two decades old so that its position on the asteroid trigger for the death of the dinosaurs is less firm than today and there is no mention of the iceball earth theory, this remains a good basic snapshot of the state of our then-knowledge of the history of the earth and the fossil record.

It also has good sections on relatively recent issues such as the state of the San Andreas fault and the background to the Mount St. Helen's volcanic eruption. Probably now far too dated for serious use, it is still a good primer for those of us uninterested in creationism.

The maps are, of course, speculative, there is some obscurity when there should not be and there are a few too many literals in the text suggesting moments of sloppy proof-reading but, overall, it stays in the library until something better turns up.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this boo