CLIMATE: The Force That Shapes Our World & The Future Of Life On Earth

Spectacular state-of-the-art imagery and the latest scientific knowledge highlight a breathtaking guide to nature's most cataclysmic forces. Encyclopedic in scope and visually stunning, this is the most comprehensive work ever published on the earth's climate--an awesome force that, at different points in time, has wiped out 95 percent of all living creatures, plunged the world into ice ages, and played a leading role in every stage of human evolution. Climate : '¢ explains extreme weather-related events, from the destruction of coral reefs in Belize to eroding coastlines in the South Pacific '¢ presents expert predictions about what is in store for the world's climate in the short- and long-term future '¢ demonstrates climate's devastating force through 630 full-color illustrations, including digitally generated imagery, graphs, diagrams, geographical maps, and satellite photos Explaining how our modern lifestyles shift the earth's climate, the authors sound a warning bell: We may be witnessing the beginnings of a mass extinction, caused not by an ice age, asteroids, or volcanoes, but by what might be an even more destructive force--ourselves. And they offer steps we can take before it's too late to avoid a global disaster. Jennifer Hoffman, Ph.D. , a professor at the Ocean Research College Academy in Everett, Washington, is a marine biologist and World Wildlife Fund consultant. She specializes in larval ecology, the effects of ultraviolet radiation, and the design of protected landscapes. Tina Tin, Ph.D., is a World Wildlife Fund-affiliated climatologist specializing in the impact of climate change in the polar regions. Currently, when she's not at her home in France, she is conducting research on Antarctic sea ice. George Ochoa has written or co-written over 25 books, including the New York Public Library's Book of Answers and The Wilson Chronology of Science and Technology . He lives with his wife and daughter outside New York City. Encyclopedic in scope with illustrative photographs throughout, this book is a work on the earth's climate'an awesome force that, at different points in time, has wiped out 95 percent of all living creatures, plunged the world into ice ages, and played a leading role in every stage of human evolution. Climate describes the marvelous and complex workings of Earth's climate systems, from its primordial atmosphere to today's extreme changes in weather, ecology, and environment. Climate systems around the world are being transformed by rising temperatures: Every continent is undergoing alarming changes, such as melting glaciers, deadly droughts, severe storms, and loss of habitat for plants and animals'including humans. Greenhouse gases heat up the atmosphere, affecting crops and grazing lands, and unleashing deadly diseases. As polar ice caps melt, sea levels rise. Islands become submerged, coastal settlements flooded. Climate address the most pressing questions, such as how much carbon dioxide can the atmosphere safely hold? How high will sea levels rise? How will civilization cope with increasingly dangerous weather incidents?