A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE EARTH

Our rock of ages.

Hippos Swimming in the Thames may be a more apt title for this book. Yes, it’s about earth’s history, and it’s written by a British professor of physical geography. But the book is more accurately about the ever-changing nature of earth’s history, making it more teaser than textbook. The discovery that hippos once swam in the Thames, tens of thousands of years ago, is just one of many delightful examples offered of earth’s relentless, and unexpected, mutability. Indeed, the book is not just about how earth has rapidly evolved in ways large and small, from decade to decade, eon to eon. It’s also about how our stories of the earth have evolved, and rapidly. Due to new technologies and explorations, Woodward writes, we have discovered that the latter part of the Hadean Eon—roughly 4 billion years ago—“may have been rather more temperate and habitable than hellish.” He notes that other planets’ movements shape our climate, that “whales, dolphins and porpoises…are descended from four-legged mammals that once lived on land,” and that the emergence of life on the planet not only indelibly changed its geology but continues to do so. Scientists have discovered, too, that the Sahara was once lush. Thousands of rock art works found in North Africa, “the largest art museum in the world,” depict animals and plants from a time “when the greatest desert on Earth was a land of plenty….Between about 11,000 and 5,000 years ago, the largest hot desert on Earth did not exist.” As for what the future holds? “Homo sapiens means ‘wise human’, reflecting the idea that our species is distinguished by intelligence, reasoning and self-awareness,” Woodward writes. “The Anthropocene is a geological interval of our own making, and we have tried-and-tested solutions to tackle the global environmental emergency. Time will tell if we have the wisdom to do so.”

The author’s reverence for his subject—the ever-changing world—turns what could be a workmanlike read into an exciting one.