What's Hidden Inside Planets?

by Sabine Stanley, John Wenz Narrated by Kim Niemi

Overview

A guided journey through the inner workings of Earth, the cloaked mysteries of other planets in our solar system, and beyond.



Earth, from space, looks like a shimmering gem suspended in an inky, infinite expanse. But this serene image masks the magnificent and volatile interior forces that make life possible for millions of species on the surface. The placid appearances of our neighboring planets similarly belie their powers-and science fiction-worthy features, like diamond rain. The daily machinations of Earth's deep interior make the planet a habitable, yet sometimes treacherous, place to live. Drill down thousands of miles through our built environments and soil, sand, water, rock, and minerals to the outer (mainly liquid iron with nickel) and inner core, encountering intense convection, roiling metals, hidden continents, and shifting tectonic plates. Discover the effects of magnetism, rotation, and seismic activity seen and sensed in the forms of auroras, hurricanes, volcanoes, and earthquakes, among other manifestations.



Join this exciting journey to far-flung interstellar locations and the center of the Earth to learn what lies beneath our feet, and why it's the best real estate in our solar system.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Stanley, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University, approaches her topic with the generous enthusiasm of a nature guide taking visitors on a field trip....'I hope I've been able to portray how wondrous the inner worlds of planets are,' Stanley writes modestly near the end of her book. Hope achieved.
—American Scientist

Engrossing and lively....A great introduction to the subject, with enough up-to-date detail to ensure that even readers with some background in the subject will find something new.
—BBC Sky at Night

Next time you look up at a colourful auroral display in the ionosphere, give a thought to the Earth's molten iron core that makes the shimmering light show possible. As Sabine Stanley explains in What's Hidden Inside Planets?, there is quite a lot going on beneath the surface—from the processes controlling the carbon cycle to those responsible for earthquakes and volcanoes. The book is written in an entertaining and accessible way, with plenty of food metaphors and quirky facts.
—Nature Astronomy

[A] sparkling book....The strength of Stanley's work lies in her engaging, conversational, almost conspiratorial writing style.
—Physics World

Well-woven and surprisingly evocative.
—How It Works

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160366807
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	01/30/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

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