So often, science is focused on the insides of atoms or the crazy contents of outer space, but this book, in a magnificent fashion, brings you right back down to Earth. It is a sweeping epic which, as the subtitle suggests, tell the long, complex and incredible ‘Story of Earth from the Big Bang to Humankind’. It has a way of blending physics, chemistry, biology, earth sciences, geography, economics, anthropology and so much more in such a masterful way to create, in meticulous detail, the tale of the Earth. As one might expect from its size, this book takes its time explaining every crucial step which has led to the existence of us, right here, right now. It explores many of the factors which have resulted in modern civilisation, from the chemical composition of the solar system's protoplanetary disk, to the economic model which society uses today which has led to our current situation. It is a masterpiece in the history of the Earth and a must-read for anyone who longs to know how and why we are here today.

The book begins with a whistle-stop tour of the Big Bang – what happened (to the best of our knowledge), how we know about it and how this led to the beginning of everything we know about today. While I have read about these topics in depth before, it was still enlightening to learn about the subject in the words of someone else. There was also a refreshingly different emphasis in this book, as while there was little talk of quarks, neutrinos and the other particles of the standard model, there was more of a focus on the early elements, as the following chapters go on to discuss the synthesis of the elements in stars and the basis of inorganic and organic chemistry. I found these chapters very enjoyable, as chemical processes and concepts were being explored in the context of astrophysics. The formation of our specific solar system is discussed, along with the general principals surrounding stars and protoplanetary disks. Next, I read about the accretion of the planets from these protoplanetary disks, and how the gas giants differ from the small rocky planets of the inner solar system, as the inner planets are composed of only the least volatile molecules, forming solid minerals, while the gas giants beyond the ‘snow line’ feature crystals of most elements due to the colder environment, save hydrogen and helium. I especially enjoyed learning about how we use meteors to further our understanding of primordial planetary materials, by using evidence from chondrules and distinctive cooling patterns (eg Widmanstätten patterns). The next chapter is dedicated to radionulcei, and how we can use them to put a time scale to our investigations, a technique used in many fields of science.

Next ‘Habitable Planet’ focuses closer to home, detailing how our planet separated into the core, mantle, crust, ocean and atmosphere. This is entirely down to the composition of the Earth. Goldschmidt classification was fascinating to read about, as it sorted the entire periodic table into five different classes depending on how they are found in the Earth – lithophiles, siderophiles, chalcophiles, magmaphiles and atmophiles (or silicate-loving, iron-loving, sulphur-loving, gas loving and more complicated silicate liquid loving, respectably). In this section, the influence of the moon, asteroids, comets and meteors as also considered. The history of running water, temperature control, solar radiation and the magnetic field of the Earth is also analysed, as well as the remarkable natural feed-back systems which have led to long term stability of the the planets volatile budget, liquid water, climate cycles and sun protection measures.

Another section I found riveting was the section on plate tectonics. Although I have studies plate tectonics before, I have never examined them in such detail. I found the mechanics of the mantle ‘flow’ and the development of the plate movements very interesting, especially the parts discussing mantle plumes and flood basalt provinces as this was a concept which I had never heard of before but fit beautifully into my understanding and knowledge of plate tectonics.

To my surprise, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the section focusing on biology and the rise of life from the basic biological building blocks. From looking at the initial construction of cells to the diversification of life to the role of humans on the planet today, I found myself learning more than in all the other sections of the book. I think I enjoyed the section due to the way it connected biology to the parts of science I enjoy more, such as chemistry or geology. These chapters in particular emphasis the interwoven nature of all the sciences in the real world, and demonstrated settings where many unrelated factors have to come together for a certain result to be obtained. These blurred boundaries between scientific disciplines have more and more become the areas of research which I find the most interesting and beneficial to humankind, and I have found myself thinking in a more holistic style in my education, looking across my knowledge of all the sciences to find a solution or explanation to a problem, whether that be at school or in everyday life.

Another pleasantly surprising feature of ‘Habitable Planet’ which I was thrilled to discover was the abundance and variety of graphs, diagrams and charts. Some in particular showed the most stunning trends or patterns, and really helped to present the evidence backing up an argument. Others where so brilliantly presented in such a creative manner, or linked two seemingly unrelated factors so perfectly, that they completely captivated my attention. Examples include the periodic table divided into the Goldschmidt classification, visually showing the location of each element in the earth, or a diagram showing the scale of the geological timescale, showing just how long eons are, and just how short humans time on Earth has been. My two favourites came later in the book. The first one showed the correlation between ice volume and insolation over time, which fit nicely. However, on the next page is the graph showing rate of change of ice volume vs insolation over time, which fit almost to perfection. At many points on the graph it is impossible to tell there are two lines, as they fit on top of each other to stunning accuracy. My second favourite came shortly afterwards. This graph shows the temperature, taken from oxygen isotopes in Greenland ice, against the bioturbation (mixing of sedimentary layers due to organic activity, eg worms) in the Santa Barbara basin. The diagram shows that at times of high O₂, the layers are undefined and there is a high bioturbation index, but at low O₂, all bioturbation stops, and distinct layers are prominent. The graph fits so beautifully that there is no question as to the direct correlation between the two factors. I find this so amazing as these are two seemingly unrelated factors, with data taken on different sides of a continent, correlate so perfectly to prove a hypothesis.

I really liked the format of this book, as at the beginning of each chapter there is an introductory ‘what we will learn’ style paragraph, and at the end there is a summary of the contents of the chapter. I found this really useful, as with such an interconnected and long book, it became difficult to keep a track of all the details of each chapter. It was easy to go back and read the summary to remind myself of a certain process or system, and in the future it will also be nice to be able to go back and remind myself of the teachings of this book. Despite the staggering length of this book, I have absolutely enjoyed reading ‘How to Build a Habitable Planet’. Even the length doesn't seem so daunting anymore, as I devoured the majority of the book in just over two weeks. I loved the whole idea of the book, the different areas of science coming together to create a planetary scale interdependent system, and has showed me just how important the overlapping of the sciences is in the real world. This book is a comprehensive overview of the history and evolution of our extraordinary Earth, and a must read for any dweller on this habitable planet.