"A distinguished geologist and a popular science writer Charles Frankel turns his attention in his latest book to the mass extinctions on our planet, considering what the past can tell us about the future. Explaining Earth's past mass extinctions, Frankel suggests that, each time, a decrease in biodiversity created fragile conditions that eventuated into widespread and cataclysmic disappearances. The rise of mammals led to the rise of humans, who,...

Writing from the front lines of extinction research, Barnosky tells the overarching story of geologic and evolutionary history and how it informs the way humans inhabit, exploit, and impact Earth today. He presents compelling evidence that unless we rethink how we generate the power we use to run our global ecosystem, where we get our food, and how we make our money, we will trigger what would be the sixth great extinction on Earth, with dire consequences....

A man is appointed by God to carry out a crucial mission of rescue before a calamitous flood destroys the world.

"In retreat from a devastating loss and crushing injustice, Katie lives alone in a fortresslike stone house on Jacob's Ladder island. Once a rising star in the art world, she finds refuge in her painting. The neighboring island of Ringrock houses a secret: a government research facility. And now two agents have arrived on Jacob's Ladder in search of someone--or something--they refuse to identify. Although an air of menace hangs over these men, an...

"Through personal stories of mishap and adventure, historical vignettes, and scenic detours, professor Eli J. Knapp dissects eighteen critical forces that lie behind the earth's sixth extinction. Drawing from experiences across the globe, Knapp peeks into odd and overlooked corners of natural history, showing how ocean-going tortoises and ghost deer can both instruct and inspire. Full of humor, hope, and self-effacing scientific savvy, Knapp's exploration...