Description

Questions about the origin and nature of Earth and the life on it have long preoccupied human thought and the scientific endeavor. Deciphering the planet's history and processes could improve the ability to predict catastrophes like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, to manage Earth's resources, and to anticipate changes in climate and geologic processes. At the request of the U.S. Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, and U.S. Geological Survey, the National Research Council assembled a committee to propose and explore grand questions in geological and planetary science. This book captures, in a series of questions, the essential scientific challenges that constitute the frontier of Earth science at the start of the 21st century.

Authoring Organizations

• Board on Earth Sciences and Resources (BESR)
• Earth and Life Studies (DELS)
• More Titles from BESR
• More Titles from DELS

About the PDF: What am I Buying?

About Our PDFs

This book can be purchased as a computer file. The format of the file is called a "PDF". To open, view and print the file, you must have third party software (e.g. Adobe Reader or XPDF) installed on your computer.

Benefits of Buying a PDF

• Instant. Buy it, download it immediately, and start reading.
• Convenient. Download it to your laptop and read it whenever, wherever.
• Searchable. Search for any word or phrase.

What are my options?

Will my PDF be emailed to me?

No. After buying the PDF, we will email you instructions on how to download the file from our Web site. The PDF file will not be emailed to you.

See our Frequently Asked Questions for more information including:

• How long will it take to download a PDF file?
• What if there's a communication hiccup when I'm downloading a large file?
• Can I order a PDF over the phone or with a purchase order?

SIGN UP FOR...

New Title Emails
Read about the newest releases and receive special offers.