Customer Reviews

Unknown Earth: A Handbook of Geological Enigmas

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This book contains a (US-biased) selection of Geological research papers dating back to the early 19th Century, specifically highlighting areas of Geology which are still controversial or mysterious. Compiler William Corliss occasionally adds a remark to guide the reader through the chapters, which are entitled: Stratigraphic Anomalies, Topographical Features, Unusual Rocks, Biological Anomalies in Geology, Terrestrial Magnetism, Geochemistry and Nuclear Geology, and Geological Myths and Legends. The early stages of this 800 page book are quite hard going and demand a detailed knowledge of Geology to understand fully. Later sections are much more readable and contain papers discussing Continental Drift, Ice Ages and anomalies in dating. There is something here for both mainstream scientists and those interested in the possibility that science may be going the wrong way in certain areas of Geological discipline. The book has its amusing moments as creationist research papers are included, their sole goal being to find evidence of the Great Flood and a young age for the Earth. Some of the mainstream interpretations are fascinating also - mounds scattered across America are generally thought to be caused by an extinct species of prehistoric giant gopher! Even if you struggle to follow the Geological papers presented, trawling through this book should give a new insight into the Earth Sciences. The only fault of the book is that it's 20 years out of date. An updated version is much needed.