This concise, clear and handy–sized volume, aimed at the undergraduate level, provides an introduction to the observation, description and identifi cation in thin section, using the polarizing microscope, of samples of the commonlyoccurring rocks and minerals. Illustrated with a wealth of full colour thin section photomicrographs, and with the original images enhanced by new examples and a revised text, the book explains how to observe mineral and rock samples under the microscope. The boo...

Provides a very clear guide to sedimentary rock types as seen under the microscope supported by practical aspects of slide preparation.

The epic story of the beginning of life on Earth from the much loved and respected naturalist, writer and broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough.Spanning billions of years, Attenborough's time-travelling narrative brings the reader face to face with the first animals that ever existed. By using the latest technology, we are finally able to see for ourselves how these early animals would have looked like and how they would have lived. Attenborough also shows us how some of the evolutio...

The mighty dinosaurs were the dominant life form on earth for millions of years. But catastrophe awaited. In what amounts to a geological blink of an eye, the dinosaurs disappeared. This fun-filled fact-book takes you deep into the world of dinosaurs!From Tyrannosaurs to Stegosaurs, The Handy Dinosaur Answer Book profiles numerous species, chronicling their time on Earth and exploring their roles in archaeological expeditions and museums t...

How did life begin? What really was 'snowball earth'? Why did the dinosaurs go extinct? Are we all descended from 'African Eve'? Will humans be responsible for the next major extinction? All these are addressed in this fascinating book. The story unfolds with the formation of the earth around four thousand million years ago, though it took until after massive bombardment by asteroids a hundred million years later for life to emerge and another fifteen million years until more complex life ...

This handy guide covers everything you need to know when looking for fossils in any part of Britain and Europe. Many different types of fossilized objects are included, from plants and coral, to insects, birds and dinosaurs.Collecting fossils is a popular pastime that offers an exciting glimpse of life before man while at the same time takes you to some of the most beautiful landscapes and coastlines.This practical introductory guide provides general fossil identifications ...

There are few stories more remarkable than the evolution of life on earth. This Very Short Introduction presents a succinct guide to the key episodes in that story - from the very origins of life four million years ago to the extraordinary diversity of species around the globe today. Beginning with an explanation of the controversies surrounding the birth of life itself, each following chapter tells of a major breakthrough that made new forms of life possible: including sex and mu...

Fossils provide a powerful tool for the study of the nearly 4-billion-year history of life, and its role in the evolution of Earth systems. They also provide important data for evolutionary studies, and contribute to our understanding of the extinction of organisms and the origins of modern biodiversity.Fossils At A Glance is written for students taking an introductory level course in paleontology. Short chapters introduce the main topics in the modern study of fossils. Th...

The soil is one of the great unsung disappearing resources, with over 100m tonnes being destroyed every year. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.comThe soil is the work place of farmers and gardeners, but it is also a fascinating environment inhabited by insects that can leap into the air to a record height, multilegged scavengers that are vital to the decomposition of plant matter and the long, thin, entwining strands of thousands of species of fungi.Although soil...

Together, minerals, rocks, and fossils communicate much about Earth’s history. Much more than ornaments on a landscape, minerals and rocks are significant components of the planet’s foundation, while fossils contain clues as to the various life forms that once inhabited the planet. Readers are invited to take a closer look at the materials that have, in many ways, facilitated life, and to explore the types and categories of minerals, rocks, and fossils alike.

Already renowned as a user-friendly beginners’ guide to soil science, Soil Science Simplified, 6th Edition is an updated version of the beloved textbook that includes even more thorough applications of soil science to interdisciplinary fields. It includes the most recent research concerning uses of soil in municipal, engineering, and other areas, conversion agriculture covering no-till, hoe-till, and the methodology of cover crops, crop rotations, N contribution, and worldwide tre...

Ceramic chemistry is concerned chiefly with the reactions of silicates. It is complicated by the difference in conduct between body and glaze. In the latter, if properly matured, the chemical reaction between the constituents has proceeded to a finish, and the melt consists of a homogeneous mixture or solid solution of silicates and, it majj be, borates and phosphates, and any eutectics that may be formed. With the body, on the other hand, it is different. The firing is only conducted to i...