The book presents to the lay reader a concise description of the geological structure of the Earth, from its earliest formation to the present and into the future. Like previous titles of the Copernicus Little Book series, the book gets right to the heart of the matter: starting from the Earth's position in the Universe, the author explains the formation of the continents, continental drift, and the origin of life on Earth. In addition, he gives an insight into the main tools of modern geology and geophysics.

From the reviews:

|"[The Little Book of Planet Earth] provides critical insights into the nature of Earth's composition, our understanding of Earth's magnetic field, and plate tectonics." Science News

"How did life on our planet evolve? How old is Earth? How was our solar system formed and, with it, our planet? These are big questions, but the answers are found in this small book that gives broad insights into earth science." Science News

"An amazing introduction to what scientific research through the past centuries up to the modern day has learned about our planet." The Bookwatch

"The book is a small miracle." New Scientist

"The Little Book of Planet Earth describes the geological evolution of Earth from its formation. In this concise and engaging little book, the author introduces lay readers to the key topics in modern earth and planetary science: the creation of Earth and its moon, the role of seismology in analyzing Earth's structure, the formation of mountain ranges and basins, the significance of Earth's magnetic field, and more." (Science in Africa, October, 2002)

"The Little Book of Planet Earth by meteorologist and geophysicist Rolf Meissner is an amazing introduction to what scientific research through the past centuries up to the modern day has learned about our planet. From the origin of the solar system to plate tectonics to earth's magnetic field and much more, chapters teach all about the Earth in straightforward, easy-to-understand language accessible to lay readers. Highly recommended for all readers ." (Circulation, June, 2002)

"This small but delightful book should interest anyone curious about the planet he or she lives on. Meissner treats this material in an interesting and easy-to-read style. But he does much more he also describes the formation of Earth and its development. There are numerous illustrations and photographsthroughout, along with a section on further reading. Strongly recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates." (B. R. Parker, Choice, October, 2002)

"It is an up-to-date account of great breakthroughs in the earth sciences during the second half of the 20th century, that were published in top journals. A very interesting work that satisfies one's taste for understanding the basics of the science his professional occupation is based upon." (Michiel Dusar, Geologica Belgica, Vol. 5 (1-2), 2002)

"It's a simple plan and excellently carried out, exploring early ideas about the origin of the Earth, then describing the Solar System and gradually narrowing the focus until reaching the core of the Earth itself. Meissner then retraces his path with fascinating explanations . There are admirable illustrations, too. the book is a small miracle." (Roy Herbert, New Scientist, May, 2002)

Klappentext
The Little Book of Planet Earth presents a concise description of the geological evolution of Earth from its formation. Meissner describes in detailed but accessible prose not just the planet's features, but the tools that modern geologists use to explore and track the ever-changing subterranean and surface features of the planet. With a particular gift for expressing how the forces in and around our planet constantly alter the world we live in, the author introduces lay readers to the key topics in modern earth and planetary science: the creation of Earth and its moon (as well as stars and other planets), the role of seismology in analyzing Earth's structure, the formation of mountain ranges and basins, the role of plate tectonics, the significance of Earth's magnetic field, and the complex relationship of our planet's geology to the life forms found there. TOC:The Roots: An Introduction.- The Origins of Planet Earth.- Formation of the Earth and the Moon.- The Earth's Structure and the Role of Seismology.- Movement and Form, Weight and Tides of the Earth.- The Earth's Magnetic Field.- From Atom to Mineral and from Mineral to Rock.- The Early History of Earth.- Radioactive Age Determination and Its Meaning.- Plate Tectonics.- The Earth's Crust.- The Formation of Mountain Ranges and Basins.- New Insights - New Terms.- The Phanerozoic: Tectonic Events and the Role of Paleontology.- The Origins of Life.- Our Limited Natural Resources.

Inhalt
The Roots of Earth Sciences.- The Earth in the Context of Our Solar System.- The Formation of Earth and Moon.- The Interior of the Earth and the Role of Seismology.- Rotation and Shape, Gravity and Tides.- The Earth's Magnetic Field.- AtomMineralRock.- The Early Ages.- Radioactive Dating.- Plate Tectonics.- The Crust of the Earth.- Formation of Mountains and Basins.- New Discoveries, New Concepts.- The Phanerozoic: The Last 600 Million Years.- Biological Evolution.- Epilogue Our limited resources.