After four and a half billion years, our planet is approaching old agethe perfect time to look back on an extraordinary life. In Earth: The Biography, renowned science writers Iain Steward and John Lynch use groundbreaking imagery and the latest scientific discoveries to tell the epic story of Earth’s birth, life stages, and distant future demise.

Each chapter examines one of the five essential forcesmeteor impacts, plate tectonics, the ocean, the atmosphere, and icethat drive and shape our planet and determine its destiny. New imaging techniques and spectacular graphics combine to reveal hitherto hidden information about these forces, depicting them in action today as they keep the Earth alive and going back in time to show how cataclysmic events played roles in the planet’s development. More than 200 full-color photographs and illustrations present the familiar in a striking new light, while the authors’ straightforward style brings an engaging clarity to advanced scientific concepts.

The National Geographic Channel television series to which Earth: The Biography is the companion volume is expected to reach a viewership of 100 million people. A timely publication as our planet adapts to a warming climate, this accessible, authoritative, and richly visual exploration is a valuable home reference for every family.