How the Earth Works

By: Michael E. Wysession, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Michael E. Wysession

Length: 24 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

How the Earth Works takes you on an astonishing journey through time and space. In 48 lectures, you will look at what went into making our planet - from the big bang, to the formation of the solar system, to the subsequent evolution of Earth.

You will travel to the center of our planet and out again, charting the geologic forces that churn beneath our feet to push the continents and seafloor around like froth on the surface of soup. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis are byproducts of our planet’s ceaseless activity, and you will focus on specific examples of each to learn why and when they occur. Volcanic activity has produced the atmosphere as a side effect, and you will learn how this sea of air functions at the global scale. Earth’s surface is mostly water, and you will explore the cycling of this vital substance throughout the planet, along with its role in climate, erosion, plate tectonics, and biology.

Not only are humans at the mercy of our planet’s natural forces, but we ourselves have also become agents of change. We are altering the Earth’s land, water, and air faster than any other geologic process. This will be another theme of your journey: how humans have transformed watersheds, leveled mountains, changed the balance of gases in the atmosphere, and caused the extinction of enough species to hasten the end of the 65-million-year-old Cenozoic era. It is vitally important that we understand the nature of our geologic powers if we are to have any hope of controlling them.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2008 The Great Courses (P)2008 The Teaching Company, LLC

Master Work Here

This is indeed a great course and extremely well made.

If I had heard this as a teenager, I would have studied Geosciences and Engineering, not just Engineering.

Highest quality science that I have read on Audible and I buy lots of content.

Favorite Great Course out of dozens listened

What an amazing course, spanning so many areas of study and interest. If you want to bask in the complexity that is the world around you, this course will take you there. I plan to listen to this again multiple times throughout my life.

Absolutely enjoyed hearing all of this

The science has changed immensely since I was young but this update was perfect thank you.

Brilliant lectures and knowledge.

Outstanding science and presentation. Well researched and shared in logical small chapters/lectures. Very highly recommended.

Absolutely Magical

Loved this course. Learnt a lot that has changed the way I look at the world around me everyday.
I will be listening again to have it really sink in

Very optimistic review

With the scientific world mostly pessimistic reviews on the future of the world, this is a very optimistic review that gives more of a hopeful than damning outlook. Highly recommended.

loved it

GREAT course among many Great Courses!

10/10 highly recommend to anyone. It will change the way you see the world.

Informative, fascinating

Broad-ranging interdisciplinary history of the geology of the planet. The professor showed how geology influences society, making the presentation interesting and relevant.

freaking amazing.

No one has ever made geology more understandable and interesting. this was indeed a semester of geology learning.

review from the white mountains.

terrific. was not aware of the extensive interaction between seemingly unrelated spheres: atmosphere, plate tectonics, worms romping on the ocean floor, etc. appreciate a non-hysterical, scientific discussion of global warming.