Ancient Earth, Ancient Skies: The Age of Earth and Its Cosmic SurroundingsHow old is Earth? How old are the planets, the Moon, meteorites, stars, and the Universe itself? How do scientists know these things? If you ve ever asked yourself some or all of these questions, then this book is for you. Planet Earth and the other bodies of the Solar System are 4.5 billion years old. They reside in a galaxy (the Milky Way Galaxy) that is 12-14 billion years old, and are part of a universe that is 13-15 billion years old. G. Brent Dalrymple, a geologist and widely recognized expert on the age of Earth, reviews the evidence that has led scientists to these conclusions and describes the methods by which this evidence has been gathered. The book is written in a highly accessible style, free of mathematics and complex graphs, and is intended for non-scientists who have an interest in the subject. People with scientific backgrounds who wish to have a thorough summary of the subject will also find the book useful. |
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Contents
| 1 | |
| 14 | |
| 24 | |
| 54 | |
| 82 | |
Samples from Our Nearest Neighbor | 103 |
Ancient Wanderers of the Solar System | 130 |
Hourglass of the Solar System | 156 |
IO The Ages of the Universe the Galaxy and the Elements | 188 |
Recommended Reading | 215 |
Glossary | 221 |
Index | 239 |
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Common terms and phrases
accumulation age of Earth amount Ar-Ar areas asteroids atoms basalt basins bodies calculations called cause chemical chondrites common complex composition consistent constant contain cooling core craters crust crystallization curve dating daughter decay deposits determine early effect elements energy estimate evidence example fall Figure flows formation formed fragments Galaxy geologic Gneisses grains growth half-life heat impact important indicate initial iron isochron isotope isotope composition known lava lead lead isotope less lunar mass material measured melting metamorphism meteorites method million minerals Moon nature nuclides objects observations occur oceans older oldest orbit ordinary origin parent bodies Pb-Pb period physical planet present probably processes production radioactive range ratio Rb-Sr reason relative represent result rocks samples scientific scientists sedimentary Sm-Nd Solar System stars supracrustal surface Table temperature theory tion types U-Pb Universe uranium
Popular passages
Page xiii - The chess-board is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the universe, the rules of the game are what we call the laws of Nature. The player on the other side is hidden from us. We know that his play is always fair, just, and patient. But also we know, to our cost, that he never overlooks a mistake, or makes the smallest allowance for ignorance.
Page 33 - We must, therefore, allow very wide limits in such an estimate as I have attempted to make ; but I think we may with much probability say that the consolidation cannot have taken place less than 20,000,000 years ago, or we should have more underground heat than we actually have, nor more than 400,000,000 years ago, or we should not have so much as the least observed underground increment of temperature. That is to say, I conclude that Leibnitz's epoch of emergence of the consistentior status was...
Page xiii - Dreadful, Madam, said I; I think it very pleasant, when the Heavens were a little blue Arch, stuck with Stars, methought the Universe was too strait and close, I was almost stifled for want of Air; but now it is...
Page 217 - STACEY, JS, 1974 - The application of lead isotopes to the problems of ore genesis and ore prospect evaluation: a review: Econ.
Page 45 - Dana's time-ratios and concludes that the time needed for the earth's stratified rocks and the unfolding of its plant and animal life must be about a hundred millions of years.4 Mr.
Page 48 - Mass number is the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.
Page 5 - Webster's dictionary, is a process undertaken to discover something not yet known, or to demonstrate something that's already known.
Page 50 - Wherever the geological evidence is clear, it is in agreement with that derived from lead as an index of age. Where it is obscure, as, for example, in connection with the pre-Cambrian rocks, to correlate which is an almost hopeless task, the evidence does not, at least, contradict the ages put forward. Indeed, it may confidently be hoped that this very method may in turn be applied to help the geologist in his most difficult task, that of unravelling the mystery of the oldest rocks of the earth's...
Page 36 - It must be taken into account in cosmical physics. The maintenance of solar energy, for example, no longer presents any fundamental difficulty, if the internal energy of the component elements is considered to be available, ie if processes of subatomic change are going on.
Page xi - She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1992 and to the National Academy of Sciences in 1994.
Bibliographic information
| Title | Ancient Earth, Ancient Skies: The Age of Earth and Its Cosmic Surroundings Ancient Earth, Ancient Skies: The Age of Earth and Its Cosmic Surroundings, G. Brent Dalrymple |
| Author | G. Brent Dalrymple |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Stanford University Press, 2004 |
| ISBN | 0804749337, 9780804749336 |
| Length | 247 pages |
| Subjects | › › Science / Astronomy Science / Earth Sciences / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |