Understanding Earth / Изучая Землю

Geology is everywhere in our daily lives. We are surrounded by materials and resources extracted from the Earth, from jewelry to the gasoline we use to fuel our cars, to the water we drink. Geological science routinely informs the decisions of public policy leaders in government, industry, and community organizations. Understanding our Earth has never been more important.
Because Earth science is so intertwined with our daily lives, our discipline evolves as the years go by, responding to the needs of what society compels us to understand. Decades ago most geologists worked in oil and mining companies, but today there is an exploding need for environmental specialists. As our world population grows we see the increased impact of hurricanes, tornadoes, and other environmental forces such as landslides. Even in the search for life on other planets we increasingly see the need for geological expertise in helping to reconstruct the environments on planets like Mars. There, geologists are exploring for traces of past life in rocks that are billions of years old, with robots that are hundreds of millions of miles away.

These diverse needs require a strong understanding of the basic concepts and principles of Earth science.  Although the times change and the applications vary,  understanding the basic composition of geologic materials, their origins, and how the planet acts as a system is imperative to understanding Earth. Everything from climate change, to the abundance of groundwater, to the frequency of large storms and volcanic eruptions, to the location and cost of extracting rare elements from Earth is relevant. It is a simple fact that as the complexity of these challenges increases, the need for well-educated  geologists to make wise decisions will increase as well. We bring that conviction to this book <...>