Making clear why the future of biodiversity matters, this book unites a team of international experts to explore the wonder of the natural world. This book explains what biodiversity is and explores its evolution from 3.5 billion years ago to the present day. It discusses the importance of the world's ecosystems and how directly or indirectly humans are responsible for the fate of nature. It also examines what can be done to protect the natural world and why it matters. This book is a timely snapshot of the state of life on Earth.