Symphony in C: Carbon and the Evolution of (Almost) Everything

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Science, Chemistry, Organic, Earth Sciences, Other Sciences, History
Cover of the book Symphony in C: Carbon and the Evolution of (Almost) Everything by Robert M. Hazen, W. W. Norton & Company
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Robert M. Hazen ISBN: 9780393609448
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Publication: June 11, 2019
Imprint: W. W. Norton & Company Language: English
Author: Robert M. Hazen
ISBN: 9780393609448
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Publication: June 11, 2019
Imprint: W. W. Norton & Company
Language: English

An enchanting biography of the most resonant—and most necessary—chemical element on Earth.

Carbon is everywhere: in the paper of this book and the blood of our bodies. It’s with us from beginning to end, present in our baby clothes and coffin alike. We live on a carbon planet, and we are carbon life. No other element is so central to our well-being; yet, when missing or misaligned, carbon atoms can also bring about disease and even death. At once ubiquitous and mysterious, carbon holds the answers to some of humanity’s biggest questions. Where did Earth come from? What will ultimately become of it—and of us? With poetic storytelling, earth scientist Robert M. Hazen explores the universe to discover the past, present, and future of life’s most essential element.

We’re not only “made of star stuff,” as Carl Sagan famously observed, but “Big Bang stuff,” too. Hazen reveals that carbon’s grand symphony began with a frenzied prelude shortly after the dawn of creation, bringing new attention to the tiny number of Big Bang–created carbon atoms that often get overlooked. In minutes, violently colliding protons and neutrons improbably formed the first carbon atoms, which can still be found within our bodies. His book then unfolds in four movements, building momentum as he explores carbon as the element of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.

He visits the famed volcanic crater Solfatara di Pozzuoli near Naples, where venting carbon dioxide and other noxious fumes condense into beautiful crystals. He climbs the cliffs of the Scottish Highlands and delves deep into the precious-metal mines of Namibia, journeying toward Earth’s mysterious core in search of undocumented carbon structures.

Hazen often asks us to pause and consider carbon’s role in climate change and what we can do about it, for our lives and this element are inextricably intertwined. With prose that sparkles like a diamond, Symphony in C tells the story of carbon, in which we all have a part.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

An enchanting biography of the most resonant—and most necessary—chemical element on Earth.

Carbon is everywhere: in the paper of this book and the blood of our bodies. It’s with us from beginning to end, present in our baby clothes and coffin alike. We live on a carbon planet, and we are carbon life. No other element is so central to our well-being; yet, when missing or misaligned, carbon atoms can also bring about disease and even death. At once ubiquitous and mysterious, carbon holds the answers to some of humanity’s biggest questions. Where did Earth come from? What will ultimately become of it—and of us? With poetic storytelling, earth scientist Robert M. Hazen explores the universe to discover the past, present, and future of life’s most essential element.

We’re not only “made of star stuff,” as Carl Sagan famously observed, but “Big Bang stuff,” too. Hazen reveals that carbon’s grand symphony began with a frenzied prelude shortly after the dawn of creation, bringing new attention to the tiny number of Big Bang–created carbon atoms that often get overlooked. In minutes, violently colliding protons and neutrons improbably formed the first carbon atoms, which can still be found within our bodies. His book then unfolds in four movements, building momentum as he explores carbon as the element of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.

He visits the famed volcanic crater Solfatara di Pozzuoli near Naples, where venting carbon dioxide and other noxious fumes condense into beautiful crystals. He climbs the cliffs of the Scottish Highlands and delves deep into the precious-metal mines of Namibia, journeying toward Earth’s mysterious core in search of undocumented carbon structures.

Hazen often asks us to pause and consider carbon’s role in climate change and what we can do about it, for our lives and this element are inextricably intertwined. With prose that sparkles like a diamond, Symphony in C tells the story of carbon, in which we all have a part.

More books from W. W. Norton & Company

Cover of the book Dark Side of the Moon: Wernher von Braun, the Third Reich, and the Space Race by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book The Outer Beach: A Thousand-Mile Walk on Cape Cod's Atlantic Shore by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing (Revised and Updated) by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book A Guide for the Perplexed: A Novel by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Schlesinger: The Imperial Historian by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Hussein: An Entertainment by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Air: The Restless Shaper of the World by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Climbing Mount Improbable by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book If You Love This Planet: A Plan to Save the Earth (Revised and updated) by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Crescent: A Novel by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book The Stories of Frederick Busch by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Facing Shame: Families in Recovery by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book 8 Keys to Mental Health Through Exercise (8 Keys to Mental Health) by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Frederick Douglass by Robert M. Hazen
Cover of the book Limits of the Known by Robert M. Hazen
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy