Get our latest book recommendations, author news, and competitions right to your inbox.
Ends of the Earth
Journeys to the Polar Regions in Search of Life, the Cosmos, and our Future
Table of Contents
About The Book
But these seemingly isolated ice realms shape life on our planet far more than we realise, influencing everything from the climate to ocean health. They may even hold the secrets to the origins of the Earth.
Taking an epic journey of discovery from pole-to-pole, ferrying between penguins and polar bears, Ends of the Earth reveals the polar regions as never before. Meeting with the leading physicists, climatologists, geologists, biologists and palaeontologists working in these extremes – often as eccentric as they are intrepid – Neil Shubin presents the compelling new science of the Arctic and Antarctic with characteristic verve and expertise.
Product Details
- Publisher: Oneworld Publications (February 13, 2025)
- Length: 288 pages
- ISBN13: 9780861542871
Raves and Reviews
'In the hands of an expert storyteller and brilliant biologist, the topics of ice and the polar regions become a fast-moving, fascinating book that combines travelogue and natural science discovery. From encountering the arctic wooly bear caterpillars and hearty tardigrades to polar fish that manufacture their own "anti-freeze," I found Ends of the Earth to be a delightful and compelling read.' —Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organised Mind
'For me, as a theoretical physicist who works at his desk with coffee always nearby, Neil Shubin’s brand of science is exhilarating, scary, and a bit alien. But adventuring to forbidding climes teaches us amazing things about our Earth and life on it. We’re fortunate to have such a gifted writer on the scene to bring back these stories.' —Sean Carroll, author of The Biggest Ideas in the Universe
'What a remarkable planet we live on – wildest at its cold and lovely poles. This compelling volume should summon us to defend that cold, the vital task for our time on earth.' —Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
'Ends of the Earth is a gripping tale of polar exploration, from a scientist and science writer of the highest caliber. A veteran of fossil-hunting expeditions at both poles, Neil Shubin writes with such warmth about an icy subject. Come for the adventure but stay for the science, as Shubin’s captivating storytelling will give you a new appreciation for some of the harshest and most mysterious places on Earth.' —Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs
'Ends of the Earth is a cosmic adventure story written in ice. It’s a tale of glaciers that flow like rivers and scientists who fall through crevasses and animals that evolve their own anti-freeze to allow them to thrive in extreme cold. Shubin brings alive some of the harshest and most fragile places on Earth, revealing the exquisite dance of time and physics and biology that created these icy realms and all the creatures that inhabit them, as well as the perils these regions now face in our rapidly-warming world. In the ice, Shubin has discovered the story of our time.' —Jeff Goodell, author of The Heat Will Kill You First
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Ends of the Earth eBook 9780861542871