What is the risk of an asteroid colliding with Earth? Why does ocean temperature millions of years ago matter today? In a fascinating and accessible presentation, Doug McDougall provides an overview of the Earth's amazing history, based on information drawn from natural archives. We are discovering that geoscience actually illuminates many of the most pressing issues of today—energy availability, access to fresh water, agriculture. But more than that, McDougall makes clear that science also holds important clues to the planet's future. Doug McDougall is an author, geoscientist, and educator. Professor Emeritus at the Institute of Oceanography at the University of California, where he taught and conducted research in geochemistry for many years. An avid traveler, his research has taken him all over the world, from Siberia and the Canadian Arctic to southern India, China and the floor of the Pacific Ocean.