The book by the famous popularizer of science, Professor Robert Hazen, introduces us to a fundamentally new approach to the study of the Earth, in which the history of the origin and development of life on our planet and the history of the formation of minerals are intertwined. An excellent storyteller, Hazen captivates the reader from the first lines with a dynamic narrative about the joint and interdependent development of living and inanimate nature. Together with the author, the reader takes a breathless journey through billions of years: the emergence of the Universe, the appearance of the first chemical elements, stars, the Solar system and, finally, the formation and detailed history of the Earth. The movement of entire continents across thousands of kilometers, the rise and fall of huge mountain ranges, the destruction of thousands of species of earthly life and the complete change of landscapes under the influence of meteorites and volcanic eruptions - reality turns out to be much more interesting than any myth. The imagination of an astrobiologist, the methodology of a historian, and the keen eye of a naturalist help the author to describe the most complex issues in science with amazing clarity. However, Hazen doesn't dwell on our time based on the latest scientific discoveries—he gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into the future.