Carlo Doglioni e Silvia Peppoloni
Pianeta Terra
Una storia non finita
2016, pp. 160, Il Mulino, ISBN 978-8815263766
(In Italian)
The Planet Earth: An Unfinished Story
Description
Earth is a pulsating planet, peaceful yet violent. In a word: alive. Since its initial, extremely hot stage of existence, about 4.56 billion years ago, the Earth has been slowly cooling off; its dynamics allows it to disperse its internal heat. The relationship between the Earth and humanity is increasingly intense: demographic growth and technological development demand an ever greater use of energy sources and larger supplies of food and water. Understanding how the Earth works is indispensable if we want to employ its resources in a sustainable manner and defend ourselves from natural risks. The planet’s vitality, after all, is what makes it hospitable for human life.
Index
Preamble
1. Brief Introduction from myth to science
2. A journey to the centre of the Earth
3. Earth dynamics
4. Earth and life
5. Earth matters: Resources, Risks, Respect
A section is dedicated to geoethics, focusing on historical and philosophical origins of this new way to approach the Earth system.
The book got the third place in the grand final of the Italian Award for Science Dissemination 2016, category “Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences”!
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