John Gribbin argues that we owe our existence to the presence of our large Moon, produced by the impact of a Mars-sized object four billion years ago. But this is just one of the astronomical and geophysical reasons why the Earth is special. For the first time, he makes the link between the whole series of cosmic events that have affected the Earth and given rise to our intelligent civilization. If humankind can survive the present environmental crises, the whole of the galaxy may become our home. And if not, our demise may be an event of universal significance.
£8 (£7 concessions)
A4
Supported by Allen Lane