judeo-christian creationism was once the only acceptable, or indeed possible, explanation for the worlds existence, but even then the age of the earth was debated. despite creationism still being taught in many schools around the world, the story of the earth is one that has developed far beyond biblical events, to the realm of high science and complex analysis, but still questions remain about the age and structure of the earth. in this book douglas palmer examines the extraordinary story of mankinds quest to uncover the history of the earth and introduces us to the host of eccentric characters that have paved the way to our current understanding. the earths rocks have divulged startling information about a 4.54 billion year history filled with earthquakes, floods, asteroid collisions and stark climate changes, but the route to enlightenment has been far from straightforward, and many questions remain unanswered.