Habiter la Terre: la roche et le vivant
Earth is our planet. It is also the matter—the “earth”—that covers the continents with rocks that have eroded over millions of years, releasing the chemical elements that also make up our bones and organs. On Earth, the inanimate has become alive. But the reverse is also true: living organisms are capable of creating inanimate rocks, and for nearly 4 billion years, the combined action of living beings and rocks has made it possible for liquid water to exist on our planet—an essential condition for sustaining life. Humans, more than any other living species, have caused changes to the environment. These changes are profound, and their climatic consequences will be felt for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years to come.
Through their activities and overconsumption of “resources,” humans have destabilized the chain of reactions that stabilizes Earth’s climate over the long term. Yet this same chain had previously withstood meteorite impacts and massive volcanic eruptions. Now, it may well break down due to the speed and sheer scale of our greenhouse gas emissions.
What are these processes that we are disrupting? How will they influence the way we live on Earth in the future? These are the questions this book raises—and answers—to help us do things differently, perhaps even better?
Contact GET: Yves Goddéris
