The Earth is not the world it once was, and it is not the world it will always be.

This book describes the exciting, complex, and occasionally baffling history of our own planet. Over the course of its 4.5 billion years, Earth has undergone astonishing changes to its surface and atmosphere, at times more closely resembling other planets in our Solar System than the habitable, teeming biosphere of today. Through these otherworldly analogs, author-illustrator Michael Carroll teaches readers about different aspects of our own planet's past. Our nearest cosmic neighbor, Venus, offers insights into Earth's own young atmosphere and surface, while Saturn's moon Titan may offer a window into the genesis of life on Earth. Planet Earth, Past and Present explores these and many more connections.

Original art accompanies each chapter, depicting major stages of the Earth's evolution and providing vivid comparisons to other planets or moons. Come along on this journey through the Solar Systema journey that ultimately leads us home.

Tells a broad, nontechnical story of Earth's formation and evolution for lay readers Features original artwork of Earth and other bodies in the Solar System Reflects the latest research in exoplanet studies, astrobiology, planetary geology, and other fields

Autorentext

Artist/writer Michael Carroll has written over 30 books and dozens of articles on science topics ranging from space to archaeology. Several of his short stories have appeared in Analog and Asimov’s. His latest Springer book, Planet Earth: Past and Present, was released in 2023. His latest novel in Springer’s science and fiction series, Plato’s Labyrinth, had a release in the spring of 2022. Carroll is the recipient of the AAS Division of Planetary Sciences award for best space science feature article of the year. His art has appeared in several hundred magazines throughout the world, including National Geographic, Time, Smithsonian, Astronomy, and others. One of his paintings is on Mars—in digital form—on the deck of the Phoenix Lander. Carroll is the 2006 recipient of the Lucien Rudaux Award for lifetime achievement in the Astronomical Arts, and is a Fellow of the International Association of Astronomical Artists.

Inhalt
Chapter 1: Beginnings.- Chapter 2: Asteroid belt: the impact of an uneasy relationship during the great solar system.- Chapter 3: Earth=Mercury: Earth as a molten world.- Chapter 4: Earth=Venus: Our planet as a Dante-esque oven.- Chapter 5: Earth=Titan.- Chapter 6: Earth=Mars: the Snowball Earth.- Chapter 7: Surrogate Earths: making homes away from home.- Chapter 8: Distant Earths: exoplanets with potential.- Chapter 9: Earth=Venus, part II: Future Earths.