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How the Earth Turned Green: A Brief 3.8-Billion-Year History of Plants
On this blue planet, long before pterodactyls took to the skies and tyrannosaurs prowled the continents, tiny green organisms populated the ancient oceans. Fossil and phylogenetic evidence suggests that chlorophyll, the green pigment responsible for coloring these organisms, has been in existence for some 85% of Earth’s long history―that is, for roughly 3.5 billion years. In How the Earth Turned Green, Joseph E. Armstrong traces the history of these verdant organisms, which many would call plants, from their ancient beginnings to the diversity of green life that inhabits the Earth today.
Using an evolutionary framework, How the Earth Turned Green addresses questions such Should all green organisms be considered plants? Why do these organisms look the way they do? How are they related to one another and to other chlorophyll-free organisms? How do they reproduce? How have they changed and diversified over time? And how has the presence of green organisms changed the Earth’s ecosystems? More engaging than a traditional textbook and displaying an astonishing breadth, How the Earth Turned Green will both delight and enlighten embryonic botanists and any student interested in the evolutionary history of plants.
Using an evolutionary framework, How the Earth Turned Green addresses questions such Should all green organisms be considered plants? Why do these organisms look the way they do? How are they related to one another and to other chlorophyll-free organisms? How do they reproduce? How have they changed and diversified over time? And how has the presence of green organisms changed the Earth’s ecosystems? More engaging than a traditional textbook and displaying an astonishing breadth, How the Earth Turned Green will both delight and enlighten embryonic botanists and any student interested in the evolutionary history of plants.
576 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 9, 2016
This was the textbook for my Plant Evolution and Diversity course (PB 400, NCSU).
Armstrong claims to have written this book with the intent of bringing botany to the non-botanist and even the non-scientist. In this he has certainly succeeded. As a Plant Biology major, I found some sections a bit dull, but that was simply because they were explaining in detail something with which I was already very familiar (e.g. Alternation of Generations) that would be quite foreign to many people. Armstrong's years of teaching experience have been well applied in this book to make the history of green organisms accessible for everyone. He writes with an open, casual style and a great deal of humor, making for a fun read.
There were a couple things about How the Earth Turned Green that I didn't like. One was the somewhat erratic use of pronunciation guides. For example, meiosis and allele are given with a phonetic parenthetical on first usage, but difficult genus names are sometimes never clarified. It stymied my reading at times.
My other major complaint is Armstrong's preoccupation with attacking all ideas of creation and intelligent design. I myself do not deny evolution or anything else that can be objectively determined about the world, but I still found it annoying. Almost every chapter had at least one aside, sometimes a paragraph or longer, to point out how wrong deniers of evolution are. Yes, I agree, but that's not what I'm reading this book for. I am reading it to learn about the history of green organisms on Earth. The running philosophical commentary (a.k.a. low-key ranting) is unnecessary and distracting, not to mention likely to turn away readers who could gain a lot from this book.
In sum, How the Earth Turned Green is generally well-written and highly informative, but a few aspects detract from its instructive value.
Armstrong claims to have written this book with the intent of bringing botany to the non-botanist and even the non-scientist. In this he has certainly succeeded. As a Plant Biology major, I found some sections a bit dull, but that was simply because they were explaining in detail something with which I was already very familiar (e.g. Alternation of Generations) that would be quite foreign to many people. Armstrong's years of teaching experience have been well applied in this book to make the history of green organisms accessible for everyone. He writes with an open, casual style and a great deal of humor, making for a fun read.
There were a couple things about How the Earth Turned Green that I didn't like. One was the somewhat erratic use of pronunciation guides. For example, meiosis and allele are given with a phonetic parenthetical on first usage, but difficult genus names are sometimes never clarified. It stymied my reading at times.
My other major complaint is Armstrong's preoccupation with attacking all ideas of creation and intelligent design. I myself do not deny evolution or anything else that can be objectively determined about the world, but I still found it annoying. Almost every chapter had at least one aside, sometimes a paragraph or longer, to point out how wrong deniers of evolution are. Yes, I agree, but that's not what I'm reading this book for. I am reading it to learn about the history of green organisms on Earth. The running philosophical commentary (a.k.a. low-key ranting) is unnecessary and distracting, not to mention likely to turn away readers who could gain a lot from this book.
In sum, How the Earth Turned Green is generally well-written and highly informative, but a few aspects detract from its instructive value.
January 18, 2016
Terrific book on the botanical history of the earth written with the layperson in mind, but with great precision and attention to major scientific advances .
March 24, 2021
A fantastic review if the evolution of plants (and life in general). Although detail oriented - this books contains a huge amount of well-explained evolutionary phenomena presented in context and in a sort of temporal arc of events. Definitely recommended for anyone interested in the history of life and in specific, plants.
In some parts, I found the text slightly terse, but keeping to the main theme was not very difficult.
In some parts, I found the text slightly terse, but keeping to the main theme was not very difficult.
June 27, 2020
An excellent book if you’re remotely interested in plants (and you should be. The entire planet is dependent on them), their origin and evolution and how they work. Very well written.
October 5, 2018
This long book is not for the faint of heart, the author uses scientific terminology throughout which he usually explains with the first use of the term. The book is a very rewarding read for those willing to make the commitment to it. The book is tempered by the authors sense of humor telling you he knows this is a lot to handle first time around. If you miss a term or two or three is is O.K.
April 7, 2021
I have finally understood why chlorophyll (and plants) are green, after all these years I've finally had it adequately explained! An awesome book although the Appendices were a bit too much for me but might be very useful for someone looking for some more technical information.
August 23, 2022
Oh you know, just left me with a sense of incredible wonder that this happened and they really just went and figured it out nbd
January 31, 2023
Truckloads of info and it fills in a lot of early gaps. That being said the author is a horrible science communicator. At best it’s fair.
March 30, 2023
Pretty technical at time but overall very informative and interesting. Now whenever I walk outside, I can’t help but think about the adaptations and diverse forms plants have and why they have them.
April 19, 2023
Superb
Solid overview of plant descent and genetics.
13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, more words required. Dang it
Solid overview of plant descent and genetics.
13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, more words required. Dang it
August 2, 2023
Good scientific book
Lots of botanical science. Reader needs to know scientific vocabulary. Interesting read. I enjoyed the challenge. Not for average reader.
Lots of botanical science. Reader needs to know scientific vocabulary. Interesting read. I enjoyed the challenge. Not for average reader.
January 18, 2023
I wanted to like this more.
January 30, 2025
A concise and thorough scientific survey of the 3.8 billion year history of plant life on earth. Fascinating and incredibly informative. Loved it.
July 27, 2023
I took a class in botany about 60 years ago. A lot has changed since then. This book brings me up to 2014 knowledge about the evolution of green at a graduate student level. Not an easy read. The first eleven chapters step one through time since the beginning to the present, followed by 18 appendices covering the reproductive and structural details of each of the major groups of plants.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews