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One of the greatest mysteries in reconstructing the history of life on Earth has been the apparent absence of fossils dating back more than 550 million years. We have long known that fossils of sophisticated marine life-forms existed at the dawn of the Cambrian Period, but until recently scientists had found no traces of Precambrian fossils. The quest to find such traces began in earnest in the mid-1960s and culminated in one dramatic moment in 1993 when William Schopf identified fossilized microorganisms three and a half billion years old. This startling find opened up a vast period of time--some eighty-five percent of Earth's history--to new research and new ideas about life's beginnings. In this book, William Schopf, a pioneer of modern paleobiology, tells for the first time the exciting and fascinating story of the origins and earliest evolution of life and how that story has been unearthed. Gracefully blending his personal story of discovery with the basics needed to understand the astonishing science he describes, Schopf has produced an introduction to paleobiology for the interested reader as well as a primer for beginning students in the field. He considers such questions as how did primitive bacteria, pond scum, evolve into the complex life-forms found at the beginning of the Cambrian Period? How do scientists identify ancient microbes and what do these tiny creatures tell us about the environment of the early Earth? (And, in a related chapter, Schopf discusses his role in the controversy that swirls around recent claims of fossils in the famed meteorite from Mars.) Like all great teachers, Schopf teaches the non-specialist enough about his subject along the way that we can easily follow his descriptions of the geology, biology, and chemistry behind these discoveries. Anyone interested in the intriguing questions of the origins of life on Earth and how those origins have been discovered will find this story the best place to start.
The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site situated in the heart of the Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve is the jewel in South Africa’s evolutionary crown: an area ‘of outstanding universal value’, it has attracted world-wide interest and furnished key evidence about where, when and how we came to be. The greater Magaliesberg area is peppered with some 200 caves and has a unique geology, history and biodiversity. For decades now, specialists have been combing the area to uncover evidence of our heritage. In his spectacular new title, Vincent Carruthers guides readers along a timeline, from the birth of our planet through to developments of the twenty first century. Along the way he documents the formation of our landscapes and the emergence of life, the rise of hominins, the stone and iron ages, early settlement, migrations, wars and modern developments in the Magaliesberg – the entire evolution of life up to the present, as we know it. Vividly illustrated with photographs, maps and diagrams, Cradle of Life portrays the intrigue and importance of the site, taking readers on a magical journey of discovery. Sales points: Authoritative handling of a complex topic; lavishly illustrated with colourful photos and diagrams; chronological detailing of key events from the beginning of time up to the modern age; accessible and appealing to a wide range of users, from visitors to students, enthusiasts and academics
Within the long-lost Temple of Luna, built by Alexander the Great to store his most valuable possessions, Lara Croft discovers a device that leads the way to the deadliest artifact of all time: the legendary Pandora's Box. Hidden for centuries in a place known to the pharaohs as "the cradle of life," the box that once brought life to Earth now contains only a lethal plague. Unfortunately for Lara, a ruthless bioterrorist has uncovered the existence of this weapon as well. The only person who can help Lara get to the box first is a former Royal Marine -- once Britain's finest soldier and now an immoral mercenary who sells his deadly skills to the highest bidder. Once Lara trusted her heart to Terry Sheridan. Now she's not sure if she dares to turn her back on him. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Lara Croft must trust Sheridan once again. And watch him closely, lest he betray her -- and civilization itself -- one last, catastrophic time.
This book takes a long-term view of Earth's development as a habitable planet, incorporating physical, chemical and biological processes on the early Earth, through to human perturbations of the modern world and their implications for life in the future.
John Doe and his infant daughter, Jane, appeared on the steps of the Manor the night the earthquakes started and the gateway to the Otherworlds closed. The people on the remote island of Bluehaven have despised them ever since, blaming Jane and her father for their exile. Fourteen years after that night, the largest earthquake yet strikes. The Manor awakens, dragging John into its labyrinth. Accompanied by a pyromaniac named Violet and a trickster named Hickory, Jane must rescue her father and defeat an immortal villain who is trying to harness the mythical power of the Manor.
Christopher Heaney takes the reader into the heart of Peru's past to relive the dramatic story of the final years of the Incan empire, the recovery of their final cities and the fight over their future. Drawing on original research in untapped archives, Heaney portrays both a stunning landscape and the complex history of a region that continues to inspire awe and controversy today. --from publisher description
Lara Croft has been called a cross between Indiana Jones and James Bond. Her rivals are less charitable, they call her the Tomb Raider. But no one can dispute her remarkable success rate. Heedless of the dangers, Lara has criss-crossed the globe to uncover some of the most magnificent artefacts. A no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners attitude has kept her alive in some of the most dangerous trouble spots on the earth. But hidden in her own mansion is a treasure and a puzzle that could pose as her greatest and most deadly challenge. This Paramount feature has taken over the imagination of the countless fans of the video game. Shot in the remarkable Pinewood Studios, the home to the Bond films, the producers have created a stunning feature that will amaze fans of the game, and appeal to the summer audience.
Sofia, homeless and lonely, is reduced to unfulfilled memories and has faded away in a void of lost dreams. During a chance encounter with a dying woman, she hears of a secret that changes her life in many ways. She befriends Jamie, a stranger with a mysterious past. In a dramatic twist of events, Sofia is drawn into the lifes of others who, like her, struggle to overcome poverty and sorrow.
Following up on his acclaimed Redeemer in the Womb, John Saward returns to the mystery of Christ's Incarnation. He draws upon the rich traditions of the Church, as well as the writings of the great Christian mystics, to create a work that is both new and old, revolutionary and orthodox. This profoundly moving meditation will aid any contemplation on the life of Christ.The subject of this book is the objective and divinely revealed truth of the Nativity of Christ, as proclaimed by His infallible and immaculate Bride. It is the splendor of this truth, of Love's noon in Nature's night, which for two millennia has captivated the Fathers and Schoolmen, and activated the genius of poets, painters, and musicians. Illustrated with eight color paintings.