"Powerful photographs and succinct, informative text work together to tell the amazing story of life on Earth. The photographs capture the glory of sculptured landscapes, the fearsome forces of nature and the extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life. Specially commissioned artworks reveal what photographs - and the human eye - cannot grasp, by showing how natural forces work and shape the land. Page by page, the authors investigate the different elements that make up our world. You will discover exactly how much life on Earth depends upon a thin protective blanket of atmosphere, meet a deepwater fish that first appeared 400 million years ago, marvel at moving continents and oceans, and understand the urgent, challenging issues that affect the future of our planet. This is a book to immediately capture the interest of independent young readers, and for families and school groups to explore together. Practical experiments and projects add a vital extra element that encourages reader-involvement, increases understanding and subtly reinforces the learning experience."--Hermes House.