Foreword ........................................................ 9
How to use this book ........................................... 10
BIRTH .......................................................... 12
Earth's Place in the Universe .................................. 16
Third Planet from the Sun ...................................... 34
The Emergence of Life .......................................... 42
FIRE ........................................................... 78
Earth from the Inside Out ...................................... 82
Heat from Within .............................................. 106
LAND .......................................................... 150
Rocks ......................................................... 154
Minerals ...................................................... 168
Soils ......................................................... 196
Landforms ..................................................... 202
Biomes ........................................................ 244
AIR ........................................................... 274
Earth's Atmosphere ............................................ 278
Wind .......................................................... 290
Climate ....................................................... 298
Weather ....................................................... 304
Record-Breaking Weather ....................................... 334
WATER.......................................................... 350
Oceans and Seas ............................................... 354
The Marine Environment ........................................ 394
Rivers ........................................................ 424
Wetlands and Swamps ........................................... 450
Landlocked Water .............................................. 460
HUMANS ........................................................ 466
A Peopled Planet .............................................. 470
Earth's Resources ............................................. 490
Human Impact .................................................. 522
Global Conservation ........................................... 566
Into the Future ............................................... 584
Glossary ...................................................... 586
Acknowledgments ............................................... 608
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