Evolution, always a hot topic, is the central focus of this wide-ranging history of life on Earth.

Long before all the life we see today ever came to be—from the lions of Africa, to the ants of the rainforests, to the bacteria that thrive in the depths of the ocean—countless other life-forms once swam, crawled, flew, or bloomed on our planet.

The very first forms of life appeared on Earth four billion years ago. From single-celled organisms, to dinosaurs, to mammals, and finally to humans, Evolving Planet traces the path of life that has been constantly evolving. The book provides an overview of Earth’s amazing diversity of life, both in the seas and oceans as well as on the land, and reveals its variety and uniqueness throughout the ages. With life comes death, and the book discusses the mass extinctions—five thus far—that have also shaped the history of our planet. Readers will be able to see the whole history in perspective in this fascinating volume. The book includes a glossary, a pronunciation key, a bibliography, and an index.