With some 70 percent of its surface covered by water, the Earth presents a picture of a gemlike blue planet when viewed from outer space. This sapphire jewel — the only planet in our solar system to sustain intelligent life — is the subject of this remarkably engaging and concise book by biologist, teacher, and popular science writer Url Lanham.Focusing on the Earth and the life forms that have evolved on it, Mr. Lanham's captivating study covers a wide range of subjects — from the ...

"Highly recommended to all scientists and non-scientists interested in paleontology and the West." — Science BooksA century after the founding of the Republic, the United States was a leader in the science of vertebrate paleontology — the study of the fossils of backboned animals. In this lucid, nontechnical study, a noted popularizer of science and former curator at the Museum of the University of Colorado first reviews the geology of the western United States and provides an over...