Book Review: Planet Earth
Planet Earth: As You’ve Never Seen It Before by Alastair Fothergill is a spectacular visual journey through some of the most amazing places on our planet. The book is a companion to the Discovery Channel/BBC series which was an awesome natural history project, exploring some of the greatest places on the planet, along with wondrous creatures and beautiful landscapes. Filled with breathtaking photography, the book allows us to explore the frozen arctic, great forests, plains, desert sands, mountains, freshwater, rainforests and vast ocean depths. From microscopic life in a drop of water, to the incredibly rich tropical regions of the world, our planet is home to an incredible diversity of creatures and habitat regions. Explore the cold harsh artic world of the polar regions, journey to the incredible richness of the great forests and wonder at the tropical rainforests, home to delicate, dangerous but breathtaking beauty.
Alastair Fothergill fills this book with descriptions of each ecological region that provides interesting information about each biological area. For example, did you know that Welwitschia is a plant which grows in the Namib Desert of Africa and has leaves which are designed to conserve water from the early-morning fog of the Atlantic coast? Another spectacular plant is an airplant that grows in the Atacama Desert. The plant has no roots at all but does have springy leaves which can roll in balls across the desert. The structure captures the moisture from the cold Pacific waters. Interestingly, there can be as many as 20 species of figs in one area of the rainforest. Just spectacular!
In the book’s foreword, David Attenborough states that “But-alarmingly- it is also the case that, within the next few years, the world itself may never look the same again.” Unfortunately, many of our rich regions are being lost to global warming caused by human activities. Take an exploration through this book as a reminder of the breathtaking, spectacular beauty of our planet. Also, take a look at the richness and diversity of creatures and habitats we are in danger of losing. The book allows us to marvel and wonder, but serves also as a stir to action.
So, take an incredible journey to some beautiful, spectacular and dangerous places. There are many strange, wonderful, extraordinary creatures that call our planet Earth home. Let’s do our part to care about the Earth and protect these spectacular, beautiful and diverse areas!
Alastair Fothergill fills this book with descriptions of each ecological region that provides interesting information about each biological area. For example, did you know that Welwitschia is a plant which grows in the Namib Desert of Africa and has leaves which are designed to conserve water from the early-morning fog of the Atlantic coast? Another spectacular plant is an airplant that grows in the Atacama Desert. The plant has no roots at all but does have springy leaves which can roll in balls across the desert. The structure captures the moisture from the cold Pacific waters. Interestingly, there can be as many as 20 species of figs in one area of the rainforest. Just spectacular!
In the book’s foreword, David Attenborough states that “But-alarmingly- it is also the case that, within the next few years, the world itself may never look the same again.” Unfortunately, many of our rich regions are being lost to global warming caused by human activities. Take an exploration through this book as a reminder of the breathtaking, spectacular beauty of our planet. Also, take a look at the richness and diversity of creatures and habitats we are in danger of losing. The book allows us to marvel and wonder, but serves also as a stir to action.
So, take an incredible journey to some beautiful, spectacular and dangerous places. There are many strange, wonderful, extraordinary creatures that call our planet Earth home. Let’s do our part to care about the Earth and protect these spectacular, beautiful and diverse areas!
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