Best of
Geology

2017

The Ends of the World: Supervolcanoes, Lethal Oceans, and the Search for Past Apocalypses


Peter Brannen - 2017
    In The Ends of the World, Peter Brannen dives into deep time, exploring Earth’s past dead ends, and in the process, offers us a glimpse of our possible future.Many scientists now believe that the climate shifts of the twenty-first century have analogs in these five extinctions. Using the visible clues these devastations have left behind in the fossil record, The Ends of the World takes us inside “scenes of the crime,” from South Africa to the New York Palisades, to tell the story of each extinction. Brannen examines the fossil record—which is rife with creatures like dragonflies the size of sea gulls and guillotine-mouthed fish—and introduces us to the researchers on the front lines who, using the forensic tools of modern science, are piecing together what really happened at the crime scenes of the Earth’s biggest whodunits.Part road trip, part history, and part cautionary tale, The Ends of the World takes us on a tour of the ways that our planet has clawed itself back from the grave, and casts our future in a completely new light.

Aerial Geology: A High-Altitude Tour of North America's Spectacular Volcanoes, Canyons, Glaciers, Lakes, Craters, and Peaks


Mary Caperton Morton - 2017
    Crisscrossing the continent from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to the Great Salt Lake in Utah and to the Chicxulub Crater in Mexico, Mary Caperton Morton brings you on a fantastic tour, sharing aerial and satellite photography, explanations on how each site was formed, and details on what makes each landform noteworthy. Maps and diagrams help illustrate the geological processes and clarify scientific concepts. Fact-filled, curious, and way more fun than the geology you remember from grade school, Aerial Geology is a must-have for the insatiably curious, armchair geologists, million-mile travelers, and anyone who has stared out the window of a plane and wondered what was below.

Natural History of the Pacific Northwest Mountains


Daniel Mathews - 2017
    It includes details about and identification tips for the flora, fauna, and geology of the region. If you are looking for a simple way to discover the great outdoors, this is the perfect overview of the Pacific Northwest.Covers the Coastal and Cascade Mountain Ranges, as well as the Olympic Mountains and Coast Mountains of southern British ColumbiaDescribes more than 950 species of plants, animals, and mushrooms with helpful keys for easy identificationUser-friendly, color coded layout Compelling stories of the region’s plants, animals, and people bring the mountains aliveThe essential trailside reference for naturalists, hikers, and campers

Racing Toward Armageddon: Why Advanced Technology Signals the End Times


Britt Gillette - 2017
    Find out what the Bible says. Learn why our generation is unique in all of human history. Most of all, find out why modern technology will soon lead to the most epic battle of all time – the Battle of Armageddon.

The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks: Tales of Important Geological Puzzles and the People Who Solved Them


Donald R. Prothero - 2017
    In The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks, Donald R. Prothero tells the fascinating stories behind the discoveries that shook the foundations of geology. In twenty-five chapters—each about a particular rock, outcrop, or geologic phenomenon—Prothero recounts the scientific detective work that took us from the unearthing of exemplary specimens to tectonic shifts in how we view our planet and history.Prothero follows in the footsteps of the scientists who asked—and answered—geology’s biggest questions: How do we know how old the earth is? What happened to the supercontinent Pangea? How did ocean rocks end up at the top of Mount Everest? What can we learn about our planet from meteorites and moon rocks? The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks answers these questions through expertly chosen case studies, such as Pliny the Elder’s firsthand account of the eruption of Vesuvius; the granite outcrops that led a Scottish scientist to theorize that the landscapes he witnessed were far older than Noah’s Flood; the gypsum deposits under the Mediterranean Sea that indicate that it was once a desert; and how trying to date the age of meteorites revealed the dangers of lead poisoning. Each of these breakthroughs filled in a piece of the puzzle that is the earth, with scientific discoveries dovetailing with each other to offer increasingly solid evidence of the geologic past. Summarizing a wealth of information in an entertaining, approachable style, The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks is essential reading for the armchair geologist, the rock hound, and all who are curious about the earth beneath their feet.

Roadside Geology of Washington


Marli B. Miller - 2017
    The only geologic hazard Washingtonians need not fear, at least not with the continued trend of global warming, is another Ice Age flood. More than forty of the biggest floods known in the history of Earth scoured the Channeled Scabland of eastern Washington, the most recent only about 15,000 years ago. Since the first edition of Roadside Geology of Washington appeared on the book shelves in 1984, several generations of geologists have studied the wild assortment of rocks in the Evergreen State, from 45-million-year-old sandstone exposed in sea cliffs at Cape Flattery to 1.4-billion-year-old sandstone near Spokane. In between are the rugged granitic and metamorphic peaks of the North Cascades, the volcanic flows of Mt. Rainier and the other active volcanoes of the Cascade magmatic arc, and the 2-mile-thick flood basalts of the Columbia Basin. With the help of this brand new, completely updated second edition, you can appreciate spectacular geologic features along more than forty of Washington�s highways.

Roadside Geology of Nevada


Frank Decourten - 2017
    The Silver State has some of the most diverse geology in the United States, and much of it lies in plain sight thanks to the arid climate of the Great Basin. Geologic forces continue to shape Nevada, stretching it apart and bringing magma near the surface. Earthquakes periodically rock its lonely outposts, creating some of the biggest fault scarps in the world. With the help of Roadside Geology of Nevada, you can appreciate geologic features along more than thirty of Nevada�s highways. Some of Nevada�s Geologic HighlightsGreat Basin National Park�s limestone cavernsVirginia City and the Comstock LodeTule Springs Fossil BedsValley of Fire�s bright red rockBerlin-Ichthyosaur State Park�s fossil reptilesLake Tahoe�s granitic eastern shorePyramid Lake�s tufa towers Ruby Mountains� glacially carved Lamoille CanyonRed Rock Canyon�s Jurassic sandstoneAlamo�s extraterrestrial impactVirgin Valley�s fossils and opalCathedral Gorge�s lakebed badlandsFrenchman Mountain�s Great UnconformityHoover Dam�s tough tuff

Resurrecting the Shark: A Scientific Obsession and the Mavericks Who Solved the Mystery of a 270-Million-Year-Old Fossil


Susan Ewing - 2017
    This chance encounter in the basement of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County sparked Troll’s obsession with Helicoprion, a mysterious monster from deep time.In 2010, tattooed undergraduate student and returning Iraq War veteran Jesse Pruitt became seriously smitten with a Helicoprion fossil in a museum basement in Idaho. These two bizarre-shark disciples found each other, and an unconventional band of collaborators grew serendipitously around them, determined to solve the puzzle of the mysterious tooth whorl once and for all.Helicoprion was a Paleozoic chondrichthyan about the size of a modern great white shark, with a circular saw of teeth centered in its lower jaw—a feature unseen in the shark world before or since. For some ten million years, long before the Age of Dinosaurs, Helicoprion patrolled the shallow seas around the supercontinent Pangaea as the apex predator of its time.Just a few tumultuous years after Pruitt and Troll met, imagination, passion, scientific process, and state-of-the-art technology merged into an unstoppable force that reanimated the remarkable creature—and made important new discoveries.In this groundbreaking book, Susan Ewing reveals these revolutionary insights into what Helicoprion looked like and how the tooth whorl functioned—pushing this dazzling and awe-inspiring beast into the spotlight of modern science.

My Book of Rocks and Minerals: Things to Find, Collect, and Treasure


Devin Dennie - 2017
    Features introduce different categories, from diamonds to quartz to glow-in-the-dark minerals and space rocks, and illuminating images provide a closer look and show amazing geological formations. Kids can take their fascination even one step further and use the catalog and activity pages and checklist to help them collect and group rocks and discover how different rock types fit into the world around them.Colorful and informative, My Book of Rocks and Minerals gives kids the expert knowledge they crave and will have them digging deep to discover all they can about rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils.Age Level: 6 - 9

Super Earth Encyclopedia


D.K. Publishing - 2017
    They can look down from above, up from deep underground, and around from the middle of a raging storm as they journey through the spectacular imagery of colorful coral reefs, the center of a volcanic eruption, castle-like ice caves, and much more. Lively and informative text is based on the latest discoveries and scientific research, and dashboard-style fact files provide information at a glance.Super Earth Encyclopedia will take kids on an amazing journey, revealing the dramatic features of the phenomenal planet we call home.

Geology Underfoot in Southern Idaho


Shawn Willsey - 2017
    Etched in its rugged mountains, incredibly young lava fields, and steep-walled canyons lie compelling evidence of amazing geologic events, including breccia from one of the largest meteorite impacts in the world. Join geology professor and author Shawn Willsey as he uses clear prose, concise illustrations, and dramatic photographs to tell the stories of 23 amazing geologic sites. Learn how Ice Age floods carved the Snake River Canyon, how tree molds and lava tubes formed at Craters of the Moon, why 200 individuals of Idaho's state fossilthe Hagerman Horsedied and were preserved in one place, and where the land surface ruptured during the 1983 Borah Peak earthquake.

Mars: The Pristine Beauty of the Red Planet


Alfred S McEwen - 2017
    Featuring an outstanding and never-before-published collection of HiRISE high-resolution color images with explanatory captions in twenty-four languages, this book offers a unique volume produced from an active NASA mission. Mars enthusiasts will appreciate these perfect snapshots of our current understanding of Mars, with soon-to-be classic pictures that have come to define our vision of the Red Planet. These images and their interpretations will be held as a yardstick for future exploration as we learn more about the surface and geologic processes of the fourth planet from the Sun. With tantalizing and artistic glimpses at actively eroding slopes, impact craters, strange polar landscapes, avalanches, and even spectacular descent pictures of probes like the Phoenix Lander and the Mars Science Laboratory, we see what researchers are seeing. Through vivid and beautiful images, this book underscores the need for such a camera on future orbiters, especially as more landing missions are planned. Mars: The Pristine Beauty of the Red Planet provides a stunning keepsake of one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments in space travel.

The Mountains That Remade America: How Sierra Nevada Geology Impacts Modern Life


Craig H Jones - 2017
    Whether and where there was gold to be mined redefined land, mineral, and water laws. Where rain falls (and where it doesn’t) determines whose fruit grows on trees and whose appears on slot machines. All this emerges from the geology of the range and how it changed history, and in so doing, changed the country.  The Mountains That Remade America combines geology with history to show how the particular forces and conditions that created the Sierra Nevada have effected broad outcomes and influenced daily life in the United States in the past and how they continue to do so today. Drawing connections between events in historical geology and contemporary society, Craig H. Jones makes geological science accessible and shows the vast impact this mountain range has had on the American West.

DKfindout! Earth


D.K. Publishing - 2017
    Learn why we have seasons, how the water cycle works, and why our population is growing.What is Earth? Why do we need soil? DK findout! Earth presents key geography facts in a fun and exciting way so young readers can dive into the wonders of planet Earth. From earthquakes to mountains, volcanoes to rivers, and ecosystems to the rock cycle, this book tackles core curriculum and STEAM topics with content that is accessible and appropriate for children 6-9 years old.Series Overview: The DK findout! series helps kids ages 6-9 become experts on their favorite subjects--from dinosaurs to Ancient Rome to computer coding. Each book focuses on a specific topic and makes learning fun through amazing images, stimulating quizzes, and cutting-edge information kids are eager to know.

Erupt! 100 Fun Facts About Volcanoes


Joan Marie Galat - 2017
    The Level 3 text provides accessible, yet wide-ranging information for fluent readers. Plus, the book includes 100 fun facts for quick and quirky information on all kinds of volcanoes, all around the world--and even some that are out of this world! The Facts Readers series bridges the gap between short, digestible knowledge nuggets and informative sustained reading.

Beyond Control: The Mississippi River's New Channel to the Gulf of Mexico


James F. Barnett - 2017
    During the great flood of 1973, the current scoured a hole beneath the main structure near Baton Rouge and enlarged a pre-existing football-field-size crater. That night the Mississippi River nearly changed its course for a shorter and steeper path to the sea. Such a map-changing reconfiguration of the country's largest river would bear national significance as well as disastrous consequences for New Orleans and towns like Morgan City, at the mouth of the Atchafalaya River. Since 1973, the US Army Corps of Engineers Control Complex at Old River has kept the Mississippi from jumping out of its historic channel and plunging through the Atchafalaya Basin to the Gulf of Mexico.Beyond Control traces the history of this phenomenon, beginning with a major channel shift around 3,000 years ago. By the time European colonists began to explore the Lower Mississippi Valley, a unique confluence of waterways had formed where the Red River joined the Mississippi, and the Atchafalaya River flowed out into the Atchafalaya Basin. A series of human alterations to this potentially volatile web of rivers, starting with a bend cutoff in 1831 by Captain Henry Miller Shreve, set the forces in motion for the Mississippi's move into the Atchafalaya Basin.Told against the backdrop of the Lower Mississippi River's impending diversion, the book's chapters chronicle historic floods, rising flood crests, a changing strategy for flood protection, and competing interests in the management of the Old River outlet. Beyond Control is both a history and a close look at an inexorable, living process happening now in the twenty-first century.

Ancient Landscapes of Western North America: A Geologic History with Paleogeographic Maps


Ronald C. Blakey - 2017
    Allow yourself to be taken back into deep geologic time when strange creatures roamed the Earth and Western North America looked completely unlike the modern landscape.  Volcanic islands stretched from Mexico to Alaska, most of the Pacific Rim didn’t exist yet, at least not as widespread dry land; terranes drifted from across the Pacific to dock on Western Americas’ shores creating mountains and more volcanic activity.  Landscapes were transposed north or south by thousands of kilometers along huge fault systems.  Follow these events through paleogeographic maps that look like satellite views of ancient Earth.  Accompanying text takes the reader into the science behind these maps and the geologic history that they portray.  The maps and text unfold the complex geologic history of the region as never seen before.

High and Dry: Meeting the Challenges of the World’s Growing Dependence on Groundwater


William M. Alley - 2017
    It provides enormous environmental benefits by keeping streams and rivers flowing. But a growing global population, widespread use of industrial chemicals, and climate change threaten this vital resource. Groundwater depletion and contamination has spread from isolated areas to many countries throughout the world. In this accessible and timely book, hydrology expert William M. Alley and science writer Rosemarie Alley sound the call to protect groundwater.   Drawing on examples from around the world, including case studies in the United States, Canada, Australia, India, and Sub-Saharan Africa, the authors examine groundwater from key scientific and socioeconomic perspectives. While addressing the serious nature of groundwater problems, the book includes stories of people who are making a difference in protecting this critical resource.

Rocks Minerals


Seymour Simon - 2017
    It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.Readers will learn how to identify and classify various kinds of stones, such as granite, sandstone, basalt, quartz, and crystal.This book includes an author's note, a glossary, and an index and supports the Common Core State Standards.