The Falling Sky: The Science and History of Meteorites and Why We Should Learn to Love Them [Hardcover]

Ted Nield (Author), Granta Books (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 18, 2011 | ISBN-10: 0762778288 | ISBN-13: 978-0762778287

Astonishing new research suggests that 470 million years ago, an enormous collision in the Asteroid Belt, which orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter, bombarded the Earth with meteorites. That bombardment may have resulted in the single greatest increase in biological diversity on the planet since life began. Introducing these revolutionary discoveries to the general public for the first time, Nield challenges the view that meteorites are bad news for life on Earth while tracing their history from the first recorded strike to the videos made routinely today. Here is the perfect introduction to the science and history of the falling sky.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Fascinating . . . rich in detail, informative, and entertaining . . . an insightful account.”

—Nature magazine

 

“Another scrupulously researched and cleverly assembled gem of explanation and revelation from Ted Nield, who is swiftly consolidating his reputation as the go-to guy for the unraveling of geology’s most fascinating mysteries.”

—SIMON WINCHESTER

 

“A fascinating account of how the arrival of extraterrestrial objects has influenced the history of life on Earth.”

—Richard Fortey, winner of the Lewis Thomas Prize for science writing and winner of the Royal Society's Michael Faraday Prize for the public communication of science

 

“Nobody writes better on matters geological than Ted Nield, and he has now broadened his scope to include impacts from space and the evolution of life on Earth. His gripping account of how the two seemingly disparate phenomena are related and how we may owe our existence to such impacts is a scientific page-turner of the best kind, rich with personal insights and anecdote as well as with sober (and not so sober) facts.”

—John Gribbin, author of In Search of Schrödinger's Cat

 

“Science for real at its very best.”

—David Bellamy, current or past president of the UK Conservation Foundation, Wildlife Trusts Partnership, National Association for Environmental Education, and the Galapagos Conservation Trust

 

“A witty and lively account not just of the perils of asteroids but also of their many mysteries. A entertaining story, delightfully told.”

—Gabrielle Walker, former climate change editor at Nature and former features editor of The New Scientist

 

“A splendid book.  Nield recounts the dramatic and often amusing story of our encounters with the ‘thunderstones’ but goes far beyond this. There is much fascinating science involved in the discovery of where in our solar system meteorites come from and what set them on a collision course with Earth throughout its history.”

—Aubrey Manning, professor emeritus of natural history at Edinburgh University, president of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, and winner of the Zoological Society of London Silver Medal for public understanding of science

From the Inside Flap

Meteorites are the stuff of legend, interpreted both as omens of doom and objects of power. But it was only in the eighteenth century that the study of falling space debris became a science and began unlocking the mysteries of the universe.

 

Now new research suggests that the Earth was bombarded with meteorites 470 million years ago from an enormous collision in the Asteroid Belt, which orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. And a revolutionary theory is emerging, stating that the bombardment resulted in the single greatest increase in biological diversity on the planet since the origin of life.

 

Introducing these discoveries to the general public for the first time, Ted Nield challenges the view that meteorite strikes are bad news for life on Earth. He argues, for example, that the infamous K-T extinction event that everyone thinks wiped out the dinosaurs isn’t the whole picture, that the causes of the mass extinction were much more diverse and complex. By examining the history of meteorites, Nield shows how our interpretations of space matter have varied and how the impacts received fresh urgency with the advent of the atom bomb. Invoking a cast of fascinating characters alongside a wealth of extraordinary research, this is the perfect introduction to the science and history of the falling sky.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press (October 18, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762778288
• ISBN-13: 978-0762778287
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #336,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Comets, Meteors & Asteroids

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars might not be what you are looking for, October 4, 2011

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This review is from: The Falling Sky: The Science and History of Meteorites and Why We Should Learn to Love Them (Hardcover)

There are parts of the book about the theory of evolution: evolution being sparked by meteorites carrying life to earth - rather than simply a book about meteorites. There are, however, also some very interesting narrative about some pivotal meteorite falls and the history of meteoritics... like Wold Cottage, for instance. I bought the book because I like all things meteoritic, but i don't believe for a second that life came to earth hitchhiking on a rock...or that K2 event added diversity to life on earth... I've not had to wade through much of that to get to the good stuff in this volume though so far... so I recommend it with the awareness of what the overall plot is... There are some few color photos and some interesting stuff that really is just about the space rocks themselves and not concerning theories of origins.
If you want to follow the conjecture that life came to earth from rocks from space... then this will serve you well. If, instead, you simply want to learn the facts about meteorites (regardless of your beliefs about origins) this is ok, but there are some great, great books out there that will serve you better in a general way. O.Richard Norton has a couple of the best, Geoff Notkin has a nice new one (of meteorite men fame), Kevin Kichinka has a great one about collecting meteorites, and the lovely big book called "meteorites" by alex bevan & john de later is full of photos and interesting text etc... Also there are the two great books about meteorite hunting experiences by roy gallant "meteorite hunter" and "the Fallen Sky" by christopher cokinos. Then the out of print classic by Harvey nininger can still be found sometimes on amazon or ebay. There are several more i have not mentioned that are all about the facts and features so many of us love regarding meteorites... check around.