The Planet in a Pebble: A Journey into Earth's Deep History
Zalasiewicz, a Lecturer in Geology at the University of Leicester, uses the pebble as his muse, traveling backwards in time to explain how it came into existence. As Zelasiewicz writes, "In some ways the pebble is like one of the newer computer chips, tightly packed with more information than one could ever surmise from gazing on its smooth surface." The pebble's journey into existence is fascinating, but the real magic trick here is how immensely readable Zalasiewicz's book is. It's packed with scientific fact, down to the atomic structure of the elements found in the pebble, but still comprehensible to the layman. Zalasiewicz also deploys his dry sense of humor, noting, for example, that "the underground realm is pervasively fluid-soaked... regrettably dinosaur-free" (no matter what science fiction may claim). No one who reads this book will ever kick a pebble down the road or pocket one from the beach in the same careless way ever again. Photos. (Dec.)