How did the world as we know it—from the earth beneath our feet to the air we breathe and the life that surrounds us—come to be? Geologists have proposed one set of answers while biologists have proposed another. In his new book, Earth & Life, Andrew Knoll says both perspectives are required to understand how we and our planet became possible: Geological and atmospheric dynamics have sustained life, and life itself has shaped the physical environment. A better understanding of these interactions over Earth’s four billion year history can help us navigate the challenges of the Anthropocene and aid our search for life elsewhere in the universe, he argues. 

Andrew H. Knoll is the Fisher Research Professor of Natural History and Earth and Planetary Sciences, Emeritus, at Harvard University. He is the best-selling author of A Brief History of Earth, a recipient of the International Prize for Biology and the Crafoord Prize, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. 

We invite you to support the author by purchasing a copy of their book from Browseabout Books. Call-in orders are accepted at (302) 226-2665 or you can stop by the store to purchase a copy. For store hours, please visit their website.

The library's “Science and Society - Making Sense of the World Around Us” lecture series is co-organized and moderated by Fred Dylla, Executive Director Emeritus of the American Institute of Physics and author of Scientific Journeys, Linda Dylla, former public information officer at the Jefferson Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy, and Colin Norman, the former News Editor at Science.

NOTE: this meeting is being conducted through Zoom. You MUST REGISTER to receive instructions for joining the meeting.

If you have need assistance with registration or getting your Zoom invitation, please email the library.

Basic written instructions for using Zoom may be found here and a brief video tutorial may be found here. Closed captioning is available for all our sessions. Information on enabling closed captioning in Zoom may be found here.