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The Planet in a Pebble: A Journey into Earth's Deep History
This is the story of a single pebble, whose history carries us into abyssal depths of time, and across the farthest reaches of space. Indeed, starting from this tiny, common speck, Jan Zalasiewicz offers readers a stimulating tour that begins with the Universe's dramatic birth in the
unimaginable violence of the Big Bang and explores the construction of the Solar System and the origins of our own planet. Zalasiewicz shows the almost incredible complexity present in the apparently mundane pebble, starting with the astonishing number of atoms in each. We learn that many events in
the Earth's ancient past can be deciphered from a volcanic eruptions; the lives and deaths of extinct animals and plants; the alien nature of long-vanished oceans; and even the creations of fool's gold and oil deep underground. Zalasiewicz also demonstrates how geologists reach deep into the
Earth's past by forensic analysis of even the tiniest amounts of mineral matter. The pebble may be small, and ordinary, but it is also an eloquent part of our Earth's extraordinary, never-ending story.
unimaginable violence of the Big Bang and explores the construction of the Solar System and the origins of our own planet. Zalasiewicz shows the almost incredible complexity present in the apparently mundane pebble, starting with the astonishing number of atoms in each. We learn that many events in
the Earth's ancient past can be deciphered from a volcanic eruptions; the lives and deaths of extinct animals and plants; the alien nature of long-vanished oceans; and even the creations of fool's gold and oil deep underground. Zalasiewicz also demonstrates how geologists reach deep into the
Earth's past by forensic analysis of even the tiniest amounts of mineral matter. The pebble may be small, and ordinary, but it is also an eloquent part of our Earth's extraordinary, never-ending story.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 23, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 18, 2019
يروي يان زالاشفتش قصة تاريخ كوكب الأرض الباطني، بتتبع قصة حياة حصاة ملقاة على شواطئ ويلز. جامعاً بين السرد القصصي وسحر التقنيات ومفاتن المخيلة . متعمقاً بالتحليل والدرس في التاريخ الجيولوجي للأرض - الزمن الجيولوجي- المعادن- الصخور -الأحافير- و ال جيوفيزياء، وأخرى . راصداً أحداث كوكب الأرض، ونموه من الباطن السحيق حتى قشرة السطح، منذ الخليقة( بعد الانفجار العظيم ) حتى زمننا الراهن. ولم يغفل عن النشاط الإنساني وجرائمه وكيف غير من ديموغرافية الحياة على هذا الكوكب وطبيعته، والذي بات وجوده بحد ذاته فوضى، و تهديد شديد اللهجة لأمنا الأرض. كما وضع في آخر الكتاب تصور حدسي لمآل مستقبل الكوكب الأزرق.
كتاب رائع لمحبي العلوم.
كتاب رائع لمحبي العلوم.
November 5, 2017
There are some authors who can make me feel enthusiastic about reading about geology — Richard Fortey being the obvious name that jumps to mind. Jan Zalasiewicz is not quite on that level, though I found the book interesting enough; sometimes it drags somewhat, but I think that somewhat comes with the subject. There are parts of a rock’s life cycle that aren’t exactly scintillating drama, if any part of the rock cycle could be called scintillating given the pace it happens at.
Probably not the first book I’d recommend for geology, but useful enough for understanding the rock cycle and the history of the Earth through rocks.
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
Probably not the first book I’d recommend for geology, but useful enough for understanding the rock cycle and the history of the Earth through rocks.
Reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
April 7, 2024
The book had its faults but overall it rocked.
December 13, 2021
أحيانا نلجأ إلى الجلوس في مشهد طبيعي لتهدئة أنفسنا، نبحث عن مكان صلب على الأرض، عن صخرة نتكأ عليها.. لكن لأي مدى نرى (وجوه) تلك الصخور؟ هل يمكننا التمييز بين انواعها؟ وهل نعلم حق المعرفة عن أي معلومات تحملها تلك الجوامد القاسية!
ماذا عن الأزمان التي مرت عليها وما زالت تحفظها، وحتى الأحياء التي تعيش بداخلها او على سطحها؟ وتلك الاحافير او (الأشباح الغائبة) التي تركت اثرها او اثر نمط حياتها في داخل الصخور...
يصحبنا الكتاب لتتبع حصاة منذ تشكّل المواد التي تكونها اولا من الغبار النجمي، بما مرت فيه من تغييرات عبر الأزمان الجيولوجية والتي تركت لنا فيها آثار وساعات من المواد الكيميائية المشكّلة للحصاة...
الكتاب علمي متخصص في الجيولوجيا، والموضوع بحد ذاته ممتع رغم صعوبته وكثرة التفاصيل خاصة تلك المتعلقة بمواد كيميائية وطرق بحث دقيقة، وحبال تربط الجيولوجيا بالعلوم الاخرى....
أعجبت جدا بشغف الكاتب الذي بدأ كاستاذ للفيزياء ثم تخصص في علوم الأرض والبيئة والاحافير... خاصة انه لم يكتفي بالمجال الأكاديمي بل كان جيولوجي حقلي وباحث ميداني تحدث عن بعض تفاصيل رحلاته بشغف واضح...
يحتاج الكتاب قراءة ثانية خاصة اني جديدة على قراءة في مجال الجيولوجيا
ماذا عن الأزمان التي مرت عليها وما زالت تحفظها، وحتى الأحياء التي تعيش بداخلها او على سطحها؟ وتلك الاحافير او (الأشباح الغائبة) التي تركت اثرها او اثر نمط حياتها في داخل الصخور...
يصحبنا الكتاب لتتبع حصاة منذ تشكّل المواد التي تكونها اولا من الغبار النجمي، بما مرت فيه من تغييرات عبر الأزمان الجيولوجية والتي تركت لنا فيها آثار وساعات من المواد الكيميائية المشكّلة للحصاة...
الكتاب علمي متخصص في الجيولوجيا، والموضوع بحد ذاته ممتع رغم صعوبته وكثرة التفاصيل خاصة تلك المتعلقة بمواد كيميائية وطرق بحث دقيقة، وحبال تربط الجيولوجيا بالعلوم الاخرى....
أعجبت جدا بشغف الكاتب الذي بدأ كاستاذ للفيزياء ثم تخصص في علوم الأرض والبيئة والاحافير... خاصة انه لم يكتفي بالمجال الأكاديمي بل كان جيولوجي حقلي وباحث ميداني تحدث عن بعض تفاصيل رحلاته بشغف واضح...
يحتاج الكتاب قراءة ثانية خاصة اني جديدة على قراءة في مجال الجيولوجيا
September 22, 2021
An history of our Planet through the “memory” of a pebble
March 17, 2022
The sound of waves against a stony beach is quite soothing, but sitting on a beach like that is not the most comfortable unless you have a chair. The beach that I remember the most is the one at Norman’s Bay in Sussex; the stones there are multi-coloured from a pale grey to a fawn brown. But if you were to pick up a pebble from the beach, what stories could it tell you?
In this book, Zalasiewicz will take us on through the story of this single pebbles journey from the origins of the universe, the creation of our planet and the movement of the tectonic plates that have shifted the sediments from the surface and sea beds deep into the heart of the planet,
We will learn how the pebble is just not a piece of rock, smoothed by the relentless waves. Rather it is a tiny time machine that if you know how and where to look, it can reveal secrets on how it was made, the remnants of the creatures contained within and how it came to be in that place where it was found.
Mostly this is ok, but I did have several issues with it. I liked the concept of following the timeline of the pebble that he found from the beginnings to that moment of collection, but I thought that taking it right back to the moment of the big bang was a little too far. Even though parts of it were interesting, I did find that it veered too much into academic prose fairly often. One for those that are really into their geology! 2.5 stars
In this book, Zalasiewicz will take us on through the story of this single pebbles journey from the origins of the universe, the creation of our planet and the movement of the tectonic plates that have shifted the sediments from the surface and sea beds deep into the heart of the planet,
We will learn how the pebble is just not a piece of rock, smoothed by the relentless waves. Rather it is a tiny time machine that if you know how and where to look, it can reveal secrets on how it was made, the remnants of the creatures contained within and how it came to be in that place where it was found.
Mostly this is ok, but I did have several issues with it. I liked the concept of following the timeline of the pebble that he found from the beginnings to that moment of collection, but I thought that taking it right back to the moment of the big bang was a little too far. Even though parts of it were interesting, I did find that it veered too much into academic prose fairly often. One for those that are really into their geology! 2.5 stars
May 8, 2017
It's one thing to just know that one Carl Sagan quote about how we're all made of stardust, and quite another to learn in detail the journey that some protons and neutrons have taken since the universe came into being: first getting smashed into each other in the furnace of a star to form various elements, flying through space, getting pulled into the gravitational field of a forming planet, those atoms binding with others to create crystals, being swirled and heated and cooled and compressed, transformed in so many ways. I've never felt such amazement at how everything that exists is all made of the same stuff constantly cycled through various processes to take different forms.
My favorite part hands down was learning about the beginning of the universe, the coming into being of stars and planets, and the Earth's core, magnetic field, magma, etc. Zalasiewicz is an engaging, humorous narrator that uses just the right amount of metaphor to explain scientific details, and he beautifully conveyed the epic nature of these phenomena. It (and everything else in the book) really gives one a different sense of scale.
Unfortunately, despite his humor, I lost interest once the story got to fossils. It was very slow going from there to the last 100 pages or so of the book, which is why I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 4. Just a matter of personal interest, and I am happy to know this about myself
My favorite part hands down was learning about the beginning of the universe, the coming into being of stars and planets, and the Earth's core, magnetic field, magma, etc. Zalasiewicz is an engaging, humorous narrator that uses just the right amount of metaphor to explain scientific details, and he beautifully conveyed the epic nature of these phenomena. It (and everything else in the book) really gives one a different sense of scale.
Unfortunately, despite his humor, I lost interest once the story got to fossils. It was very slow going from there to the last 100 pages or so of the book, which is why I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 4. Just a matter of personal interest, and I am happy to know this about myself
August 15, 2017
“Take a pebble. A slate pebble, say, from a beach in Wales. Look at its rich grey, cut by veins of white quartz. Look closely. There are other markings too…”
The Planet in a Pebble is the story of the Earth as determined from a single pebble, from the depth of time and across the far reaches of space to its current existence. The many events in the Earth’s past that can be deciphered from the subject pebble include: the Big-Bang; solar system creation; planet creation; volcanic eruptions; magnetic fields, the lives and deaths of extinct organic species; the nature of long-vanished oceans; transformations in the depth of the earth; the creation of fool’s gold and of oil; and tectonics.
Jan Zalasiewicz demonstrates, in an accessible and lyrical manner, how geologists reach deep into the Earth's past by forensic analysis of even the tiniest amounts of mineral matter to discover aspects of Earth’s history. However, while the writing style is entertaining and accessible, there is some technical vocabulary that may be confusing for non-geologists, but this can’t be helped in a book like this. None of this technical vocabulary is incomprehensible with a bit of application of grey matter.
The author shows how many stories are crammed into each and every pebble around us, no matter how ordinary the pebble. But this pebble is also a part of the Earth’s amazing journey through time.
The Planet in a Pebble is the story of the Earth as determined from a single pebble, from the depth of time and across the far reaches of space to its current existence. The many events in the Earth’s past that can be deciphered from the subject pebble include: the Big-Bang; solar system creation; planet creation; volcanic eruptions; magnetic fields, the lives and deaths of extinct organic species; the nature of long-vanished oceans; transformations in the depth of the earth; the creation of fool’s gold and of oil; and tectonics.
Jan Zalasiewicz demonstrates, in an accessible and lyrical manner, how geologists reach deep into the Earth's past by forensic analysis of even the tiniest amounts of mineral matter to discover aspects of Earth’s history. However, while the writing style is entertaining and accessible, there is some technical vocabulary that may be confusing for non-geologists, but this can’t be helped in a book like this. None of this technical vocabulary is incomprehensible with a bit of application of grey matter.
The author shows how many stories are crammed into each and every pebble around us, no matter how ordinary the pebble. But this pebble is also a part of the Earth’s amazing journey through time.
June 24, 2018
Geology was my favorite science course in college and I have friends who are geologists. Still, I don’t know as much as I would like and am always pleased when I come across a book that is not only scientifically engaging but skillfully written, as well.
"The Planet in a Pebble" is that book.
Jan Zalasiewicz takes a single pebble of slate – found on a beach in Wales – and tells its “life story” from when it was deep within the earth; at the bottom of the ocean; a home to living organisms and minerals, metals and more.
Once found on the beach, examined and then tossed aside, the pebble's remarkable story continues as the author goes on to tell how it returns to Earth’s processes until those processes play out and the pebble becomes, in some fashion, a part of the solar system.
Filled with unexpected wit and some cultural references that give the story zest, Zalasiewicz’s book encourages a satisfying reverence for our home planet. Especially moving is the last portion of the book, when the author explores the end of earth (and the pebble) and what might come after: rebirth, perhaps?
To those for whom the vastness of deep time is not a threat to their religious principles, but actually bolsters them, this book is not just a scientific journey but a spiritual one, too.
Highly recommended!
"The Planet in a Pebble" is that book.
Jan Zalasiewicz takes a single pebble of slate – found on a beach in Wales – and tells its “life story” from when it was deep within the earth; at the bottom of the ocean; a home to living organisms and minerals, metals and more.
Once found on the beach, examined and then tossed aside, the pebble's remarkable story continues as the author goes on to tell how it returns to Earth’s processes until those processes play out and the pebble becomes, in some fashion, a part of the solar system.
Filled with unexpected wit and some cultural references that give the story zest, Zalasiewicz’s book encourages a satisfying reverence for our home planet. Especially moving is the last portion of the book, when the author explores the end of earth (and the pebble) and what might come after: rebirth, perhaps?
To those for whom the vastness of deep time is not a threat to their religious principles, but actually bolsters them, this book is not just a scientific journey but a spiritual one, too.
Highly recommended!
September 14, 2017
Having read two of Jan Zalasiewicz’s book before, I had high hopes for this one. The content of 'Planet In A Pebble' is excellent, as before, but the writing style leaves a lot to be desired.
Zalasiewicz is a geologist who has done brilliant work popularising esoteric concepts in geology and palaeontology like mass spectrometry, isotope decay and strata identification. This book takes a single pebble from a Welsh beach and in thirteen chapters describes not only every process leading to its creation but every iota of information that can be extracted from it. In terms of the content, it is fascinating.
But the book is a bit of a struggle to read. At every opportunity Zalasiewicz adds comments in parenthesis or between dashes, 99% of which are either unnecessary, whimsical, or which could be incorporated into a better sentence structure. Usually I’m not bothered by writing style, but this book is in desperate need of an editor to cut out all Zalasiewicz’s clutter. To be fair, some sections are worse than others, but I really noticed it and it really irritated me. Which is a shame, as this is exactly the sort of book I’d like to see doing well.
For content, I would definitely give a 4* rating though.
Zalasiewicz is a geologist who has done brilliant work popularising esoteric concepts in geology and palaeontology like mass spectrometry, isotope decay and strata identification. This book takes a single pebble from a Welsh beach and in thirteen chapters describes not only every process leading to its creation but every iota of information that can be extracted from it. In terms of the content, it is fascinating.
But the book is a bit of a struggle to read. At every opportunity Zalasiewicz adds comments in parenthesis or between dashes, 99% of which are either unnecessary, whimsical, or which could be incorporated into a better sentence structure. Usually I’m not bothered by writing style, but this book is in desperate need of an editor to cut out all Zalasiewicz’s clutter. To be fair, some sections are worse than others, but I really noticed it and it really irritated me. Which is a shame, as this is exactly the sort of book I’d like to see doing well.
For content, I would definitely give a 4* rating though.
September 30, 2018
An excellent companion piece to Richard Fortey’s The Earth which gave an overview of the excitement of geology on a global scale. This book takes an ordinary slate pebble from a beach in Wales and analyses the physics, chemistry and biology that allow us to prove how could appear right there right now, in this particular form, just so that one could casually pick it up and spin it across the waves with a nonchalant flick of the wrist. Takes a complicated and fascinating subject and explains in enough detail to allow this reader to feel cleverer at the end than I did at the start. The deposition of some sediment in the Silurian seas at a latitude close to that of present day Auckland undergoes an extraordinary number of changes that are pieced together forensically and somehow our stone ends up several kilometres below the sea bed then under a bloody great mountain before being washed out of a cliff near Aberystwyth. Patient and ingenious detective work with the help of some extraordinary equipment show how where and when the multiple constituents of a piece of commonplace rock forms. It is all more complicated than we can imagine. And there is still so much to learn.
February 8, 2018
Lots of really interesting information on the tools used to create chronologies of the Earth, age of specific stones. His discussion and use of graptolites is quite interesting. I like his use of the single pebble to explore the depth of our geological knowledge.
However, for a short book on deep history, it is a little repetitive. The sense of humor can be annoying. As an Oxford University Press book, the proofreading leaves a lot to be desired.
However, for a short book on deep history, it is a little repetitive. The sense of humor can be annoying. As an Oxford University Press book, the proofreading leaves a lot to be desired.
November 26, 2017
A superlative read that is on top of my re-read pile.
May 1, 2018
I read the book for extra credit assignment in college geology. I'll never see a pebble and see just a rock. It'll be to me "a capsule of stories" as Zalsiewicz said in his book.
August 3, 2019
Informative
Good general introduction to the subject, style of writing about a single pebble makes the concepts easier to understand. Will look for other books by this author
Good general introduction to the subject, style of writing about a single pebble makes the concepts easier to understand. Will look for other books by this author
October 17, 2024
我们会共同见证平凡鹅卵石的不平凡“石生”——
组成它的粒子来自激烈的大爆炸和超新星爆发;
在太阳系的构建过程中，这些粒子穿越太空而来；
我们现在生存的这颗蓝色星球形成后，穿越地球上山与海的星尘，最终在一枚鹅卵石中相遇；
经历了沧海桑田的巨变，在遥远的未来，这枚鹅卵石将融入新的地层，踏上新的旅程，无数枚新的鹅卵石中可能都有最初那枚鹅卵石的一部分。
组成它的粒子来自激烈的大爆炸和超新星爆发;
在太阳系的构建过程中，这些粒子穿越太空而来；
我们现在生存的这颗蓝色星球形成后，穿越地球上山与海的星尘，最终在一枚鹅卵石中相遇；
经历了沧海桑田的巨变，在遥远的未来，这枚鹅卵石将融入新的地层，踏上新的旅程，无数枚新的鹅卵石中可能都有最初那枚鹅卵石的一部分。
November 27, 2024
Magical!
December 2, 2019
Each pebble has a story to tell. A long one perhaps! The story is a journey of each element in the pebble through different realms of the universe, earth and life. Such pebbles now lie on the shores or on the stream beds all over the world, waiting to be picked and examined!
January 24, 2020
Až téměř neuvěřitelná historie jednoho kamínku od tvorby jeho atomů při velkém třesku, přes výbuchy supernov, zemské jádro až na jednu obyčejnou welšskou pláž.
May 10, 2011
As some of you may know, I LOVE rocks, and I paint on them. In case you have never seen my rockpainting art, please see here: Rocksbyemmanuelle: http://www.rocksbyemmanuelle.com/
A friend of mine, knowing about my art, found a review about this book and cut it out for me!
My geology classes are long forgotten, I was about 13 years old, so I thought I might give it a try.
This book is very interesting, as it basically retraces a lot of the geological evolution of our planet, by just looking at and analyzing a pebble found on a Welsh beach.
But I have to say, contrary to what some reviewers say, this is NOT an easy read; the style is good and entertaining, but the vocabulary is obviously and necessarily VERY technical in many passages.
If you are into geology, go for it, it’s worth it. Otherwise, it may be a bit overwhelming. I probably did not understand half of it, but I persevered, and I think I mange to learn some new things on rocks.
By the way, I never paint on gorgeous rocks or fossils, as they are pieces of art in themselves.
My original review is here: http://wordsandpeace.wordpress.com/20...
A friend of mine, knowing about my art, found a review about this book and cut it out for me!
My geology classes are long forgotten, I was about 13 years old, so I thought I might give it a try.
This book is very interesting, as it basically retraces a lot of the geological evolution of our planet, by just looking at and analyzing a pebble found on a Welsh beach.
But I have to say, contrary to what some reviewers say, this is NOT an easy read; the style is good and entertaining, but the vocabulary is obviously and necessarily VERY technical in many passages.
If you are into geology, go for it, it’s worth it. Otherwise, it may be a bit overwhelming. I probably did not understand half of it, but I persevered, and I think I mange to learn some new things on rocks.
By the way, I never paint on gorgeous rocks or fossils, as they are pieces of art in themselves.
My original review is here: http://wordsandpeace.wordpress.com/20...
February 21, 2011
Love the start of this book...."It is an ordinary pebble. It's one of millions that washes backwards and forwards on the shoreline or piles up on riverbanks or lines your garden path. Yet that pebble, like its myraid kin, is a capsule of stories. There are countless stories packed within that pebble, more tightly than sardines in the most ergonomic tins."
I'm going to try and catch a glimpse of the reality of this Earth.
The library had to borrow this book all the way from Wyoming....to me here in Kansas. How cool is that? I'm anxious to retire tonight so I can spend a bit of time with this book and get excited about my upcoming rock cycle unit and re-immerse myself in the fun of the inside of the earth.
I didn't make it all the way to the end because the book was due back at the library. But it is a winner for updating my earth science content knowledge. I will try and re-check this out over the summer. Sure wish I had a bunch of 6th grade teacher who would want to do a book study with me so we could cull out the best of the book to share with students.
I'm going to try and catch a glimpse of the reality of this Earth.
The library had to borrow this book all the way from Wyoming....to me here in Kansas. How cool is that? I'm anxious to retire tonight so I can spend a bit of time with this book and get excited about my upcoming rock cycle unit and re-immerse myself in the fun of the inside of the earth.
I didn't make it all the way to the end because the book was due back at the library. But it is a winner for updating my earth science content knowledge. I will try and re-check this out over the summer. Sure wish I had a bunch of 6th grade teacher who would want to do a book study with me so we could cull out the best of the book to share with students.
January 9, 2011
What could be more commonplace than a pebble on a beach? Yet Jan Zalasiewicz opens up a humble pebble from a Welsh beach to show the hidden world inside, and the record of a slice of Earth's history which it contains. He starts from the Big Bang, and works his way through the billions of years in which the material of the pebble has been accumulating, until it arrives in its presetn form as an anonymous stone amongst millions of others. yet one which still has a unique identity, that the author carefully reveals. Necessarily a little technical at items, the author's also often light-hearted approach keeps the story moving and really does bring the earth's history into a new focus. A walk along a beach will never be quite the same again.
April 3, 2012
Thoroughly enjoyed the beginning, then got lost in too much geologist's terminology without feeling I'd mastered it. The end improved, though I might have missed the finer points by not pulling my weight in the middle.
April 24, 2012
Slow to start, but the ending chapter was very poetic!
March 15, 2013
I just couldn't get into it.
September 10, 2015
Very informative
July 20, 2016
Inspiring!
April 20, 2020
this was the most boring book i've ever read...i just couldn't get into it
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September 6, 2024لا يمكنني تقييمه لأنه كتاب علمي تخصصي بدرجة ما و إن كان موجه للقراء الغير متخصصين، لذلك رأيت أن تقييمي له سيكون غير سليم، ولكني أرشحه للمهتمين بهذا النوع من العلم وعلى دراية بالكيمياء بدرجة ما.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews