This title comes with 19 easy-to-do experiments and 250 exciting pictures. It is packed with facts on the birth of our planet and the forces that shape the land. You can discover how and why the Earth is unique, how life-support systems such as the atmosphere, water - and just the right amount of energy from the Sun - make our environment so rich and varied. Fun, exciting experiments explain the science: erode a sugar mountain, and simulate geological folds using clay. With the help of vivid diagrams, landscape and close-up photographs, the authoritative text reveals and explains the marvels and mysteries of our world. It is a book to capture the interest of independent readers, or for families or school groups to explore together. How was the Earth formed? When did living things first appear upon its surface? Why is the climate changing? This book traces the story of our world, from the Big Bang and the earliest stirrings of life to the impact of humankind. Page by page, the author investigates the different elements that make up the Earth. He explains the planet's fiery creation and its place in the Universe, and probes ocean depths as remarkable and as varied as the continents above them. Practical experiments and projects reinforce the learning experience.