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Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life
568 min
A vivid account of a major shift in how we understand Earth, from an exceptionally talented new voice. Earth is not simply an inanimate planet on which life evolved, but rather a planet that came to life.
The notion of a living world is one of humanity’s oldest beliefs. Though once scorned by many scientists, the concept of Earth as a vast interconnected living system has gained acceptance in recent decades. Life not only adapts to its surroundings—it also shapes them in dramatic and enduring ways. Over billions of years, life transformed a lump of orbiting rock into our cosmic oasis, breathing oxygen into the atmosphere, concocting the modern oceans, and turning rock into fertile soil. Life is intertwined with Earth’s capacity to regulate its climate and maintain balance.
To reveal life’s profound influence on the planet, Jabr transports the reader to such extraordinary places as an observatory halfway between the treetops and clouds, an experimental nature reserve in Siberia, and a former gold mine nearly one mile underground. We learn how microbes may have played a role in forming the continents. We discover how plants help keep oxygen levels high enough to support complex life, but not so high that Earth becomes disastrously flammable. We see how termites, elephants, and other animals sculpt the planet’s landmasses; how kelp forests and coral reefs store carbon and buffer ocean acidity; and how bacteria change the weather.
Humans are one of the most extreme examples of life changing Earth. Through fossil fuel consumption, agriculture, and pollution, humans have radically altered more aspects of the planet in less time than any other species, pushing Earth into a crisis. But we are also in a unique position to understand and protect the planet’s wondrous ecology and self-stabilizing processes. Jabr introduces us to a diverse cast of fascinating characters doing exactly that. Through compelling narrative, evocative descriptions, and lucid explanations, he shows us how Earth became the world we’ve known, how it is rapidly becoming a very different world, and how we will determine what kind of Earth our descendants inherit for millennia to come.
A vivid account of a major shift in how we understand Earth, from an exceptionally talented new voice. Earth is not simply an inanimate planet on which life evolved, but rather a planet that came to life.
The notion of a living world is one of humanity’s oldest beliefs. Though once scorned by many scientists, the concept of Earth as a vast interconnected living system has gained acceptance in recent decades. Life not only adapts to its surroundings—it also shapes them in dramatic and enduring ways. Over billions of years, life transformed a lump of orbiting rock into our cosmic oasis, breathing oxygen into the atmosphere, concocting the modern oceans, and turning rock into fertile soil. Life is intertwined with Earth’s capacity to regulate its climate and maintain balance.
To reveal life’s profound influence on the planet, Jabr transports the reader to such extraordinary places as an observatory halfway between the treetops and clouds, an experimental nature reserve in Siberia, and a former gold mine nearly one mile underground. We learn how microbes may have played a role in forming the continents. We discover how plants help keep oxygen levels high enough to support complex life, but not so high that Earth becomes disastrously flammable. We see how termites, elephants, and other animals sculpt the planet’s landmasses; how kelp forests and coral reefs store carbon and buffer ocean acidity; and how bacteria change the weather.
Humans are one of the most extreme examples of life changing Earth. Through fossil fuel consumption, agriculture, and pollution, humans have radically altered more aspects of the planet in less time than any other species, pushing Earth into a crisis. But we are also in a unique position to understand and protect the planet’s wondrous ecology and self-stabilizing processes. Jabr introduces us to a diverse cast of fascinating characters doing exactly that. Through compelling narrative, evocative descriptions, and lucid explanations, he shows us how Earth became the world we’ve known, how it is rapidly becoming a very different world, and how we will determine what kind of Earth our descendants inherit for millennia to come.
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First published June 25, 2024
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About the author
Ferris Jabr
1 book75 followersFerris Jabr is the author of Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life and a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and Scientific American. He has also written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper’s, National Geographic, Wired, Outside, Lapham’s Quarterly, McSweeney’s, and The Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications.
He is the recipient of a Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant, as well as fellowships from UC Berkeley and the MIT Knight Science Journalism Program. His work has been anthologized in several editions of The Best American Science and Nature Writing series.
He lives in Portland, Oregon with his partner, Ryan, their dog, Jack, and more plants than they can count.
He is the recipient of a Whiting Foundation Creative Nonfiction Grant, as well as fellowships from UC Berkeley and the MIT Knight Science Journalism Program. His work has been anthologized in several editions of The Best American Science and Nature Writing series.
He lives in Portland, Oregon with his partner, Ryan, their dog, Jack, and more plants than they can count.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
July 30, 2024
If you consider deep-earth microbes, soil organisms, plankton, seaweeds/algae, and plants to be humble parts of our world, Ferris Jabr may change your mind! Microbes provided the grease that got plate tectonics moving and continents growing. Without the complex orchestra of soil organisms, nothing would grow and those continents would be barren wastelands. The amazing bulk of plankton in our oceans provide the majority of the oxygen we breathe and influence our weather in addition to feeding a plethora of creatures up to the size of baleen whales.
“[T]he vast majority of chalk and limestone formations on Earth, including large sections of the Alps, are the remains of plankton, corals, shellfish, and other calcereous creatures. Every impossible edifice that humans have constructed with limestone, including the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Colosseum, Notre Dame, and the Empire State Building, is a secret monument to ancient ocean life.”
We are used to centering the narrative on humans (we're hubristic that way) and we have definitely made a mark on our planet, not in dreadfully positive ways. Unfortunately, we have thrown the carbon cycle of the planet way out of whack. One of the best things we could do at this point would be to break our addiction to plastics. Micro- and nano-plastics are found everywhere on Earth now. Eventually there will be a natural process to deal with them, but probably not until we are as extinct as Australopithecus.
If the plastic situation was dismal, I gained encouragement from Jabr's discussions of soil management and fire regimes. Healthy soils and forests are fabulous at sequestering carbon, exactly what we need. I could wish that we could get everyone moving in the same direction, but these things never seem to be easy. People are resistant to change, even sensible changes. At least we have some options. Preservation of grasslands, forests, bogs, swamps, bayous, and peatlands looks like one of our best paths forward. Here in Western Canada, we have lived through several catastrophic fire seasons now, and I hope that our governments can finally admit that fire suppression sets us up for these major events. Controlled burning, using the expertise of our aboriginal peoples, would seem to be a good future path. As a bonus, healthy oceans and forests can create beneficial weather, a good cycle to get going.
We need to readjust our focus—quit only considering ourselves and look to the health of microbes, plankton, algae, fungi, and plants. Invest in renewables, sequester carbon dioxide, plant trees, protect land, farm smarter. Everyone will benefit. So, the meek shall certainly inherit the Earth. In fact, they seem to have orchestrated Earth as we know it and will be around to rehabilitate it when we quit making a mess of it.
“[T]he vast majority of chalk and limestone formations on Earth, including large sections of the Alps, are the remains of plankton, corals, shellfish, and other calcereous creatures. Every impossible edifice that humans have constructed with limestone, including the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Colosseum, Notre Dame, and the Empire State Building, is a secret monument to ancient ocean life.”
We are used to centering the narrative on humans (we're hubristic that way) and we have definitely made a mark on our planet, not in dreadfully positive ways. Unfortunately, we have thrown the carbon cycle of the planet way out of whack. One of the best things we could do at this point would be to break our addiction to plastics. Micro- and nano-plastics are found everywhere on Earth now. Eventually there will be a natural process to deal with them, but probably not until we are as extinct as Australopithecus.
If the plastic situation was dismal, I gained encouragement from Jabr's discussions of soil management and fire regimes. Healthy soils and forests are fabulous at sequestering carbon, exactly what we need. I could wish that we could get everyone moving in the same direction, but these things never seem to be easy. People are resistant to change, even sensible changes. At least we have some options. Preservation of grasslands, forests, bogs, swamps, bayous, and peatlands looks like one of our best paths forward. Here in Western Canada, we have lived through several catastrophic fire seasons now, and I hope that our governments can finally admit that fire suppression sets us up for these major events. Controlled burning, using the expertise of our aboriginal peoples, would seem to be a good future path. As a bonus, healthy oceans and forests can create beneficial weather, a good cycle to get going.
We need to readjust our focus—quit only considering ourselves and look to the health of microbes, plankton, algae, fungi, and plants. Invest in renewables, sequester carbon dioxide, plant trees, protect land, farm smarter. Everyone will benefit. So, the meek shall certainly inherit the Earth. In fact, they seem to have orchestrated Earth as we know it and will be around to rehabilitate it when we quit making a mess of it.
July 7, 2024
Something that is a must for me with non-fiction is a good balance of accessibility. Too little, and you barely learn anything, too much and nothing gets truly comprehended. This book really struck the perfect balance between the two.
January 4, 2024
Becoming Earth by Ferris Jabr is an intriguing comprehensive study of the dynamic nature of earth. Central to Mr. Jabr's message is the Gaia hypothesis from the 1970's that postulates that life transforms earth, including non-living elements of earth in a self-regulating symbiotic cooperative process. Because of this relationship, changes to all forms of life have significant impacts on the inert components of earth. Becoming Earth is organized into three sections: Rock, Water and Air. Each section has 3 chapters that cover the original microorganisms, the impact of more complex organisms and finally the consequences of dramatic changes in recent history.
Mr. Jabr impressively covers a vast body of knowledge with clarity and conciseness. For a scientific book, the writing is very accessible, and I recommend this book to those interested in a well-researched and broad exploration of the complex relationship between the earth and all life forms from simple unicellular microorganisms to plants to humans. Becoming Earth covers a wide spectrum of ecosystems from agriculture to wetlands.
While I appreciate the conciseness and ease of reading of this book, I often felt that some of the points were supported by anecdotal evidence. I felt that the arguments could have been stronger with more examples. However, I recognize that including many more examples would make it nearly impossible to achieve the conciseness that allows this book to be so accessible. I have studied climate change for many years so my desire to delve into more detail may not be reflective of the typical reader. I highly recommend this fascinating book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mr. Jabr impressively covers a vast body of knowledge with clarity and conciseness. For a scientific book, the writing is very accessible, and I recommend this book to those interested in a well-researched and broad exploration of the complex relationship between the earth and all life forms from simple unicellular microorganisms to plants to humans. Becoming Earth covers a wide spectrum of ecosystems from agriculture to wetlands.
While I appreciate the conciseness and ease of reading of this book, I often felt that some of the points were supported by anecdotal evidence. I felt that the arguments could have been stronger with more examples. However, I recognize that including many more examples would make it nearly impossible to achieve the conciseness that allows this book to be so accessible. I have studied climate change for many years so my desire to delve into more detail may not be reflective of the typical reader. I highly recommend this fascinating book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2025
From Nature's Five Best list, https://www.nature.com/articles/d4158...
"If this sounds similar to the Gaia hypothesis by chemist James Lovelock and biologist Lynn Margulis, that is welcome to Jabr, who admires Lovelock as a thinker and personality. He also recognizes how the 1970s hypothesis, which evolved over decades, still divides scientists."
I'm an old fan of both Lovelock and (esp) Margulis. Looking forward to this one!
First impressions (10/23/24):
Chapter on the deep-underground life at the old Homestake mine in SD and elsewhere (ZA) is good. Jabr's book suffers from his being a journalist with a minimal background in geology & microbiology. He makes some tonal errors, and gives more weight to Gold's abiogenic petroleum hypothesis than almost any geoscientists do. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogen... for an outline of this. I'm an economic geologist who went to school in Texas. Nobody except the Russians seemed to think much of Gold's ideas. Nor have there been any economically significant discoveries from these ideas. Jabr has nothing on the recent discoveries of natural hydrogen, which are likely abiogenic and have caused a stir. Nothing significant found so far, but early days...
The "Pleistocene Park" chapter, on the attempt to re-create the Mammoth Steppe ecosystem in Siberia, is theoretically interesting, but the project is so underfunded that's it's almost laughably insignificant. And was further disrupted by the collapse of the USSR. He spends far more time on this than it's worth, in my judgment. So he's off to a ragged start.
Book has come due (new book, requested by another patron) @ p.65. DNF 12/3/24. Not great but interesting stuff. Typical of science books by journalists. See following note.
"If this sounds similar to the Gaia hypothesis by chemist James Lovelock and biologist Lynn Margulis, that is welcome to Jabr, who admires Lovelock as a thinker and personality. He also recognizes how the 1970s hypothesis, which evolved over decades, still divides scientists."
I'm an old fan of both Lovelock and (esp) Margulis. Looking forward to this one!
First impressions (10/23/24):
Chapter on the deep-underground life at the old Homestake mine in SD and elsewhere (ZA) is good. Jabr's book suffers from his being a journalist with a minimal background in geology & microbiology. He makes some tonal errors, and gives more weight to Gold's abiogenic petroleum hypothesis than almost any geoscientists do. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogen... for an outline of this. I'm an economic geologist who went to school in Texas. Nobody except the Russians seemed to think much of Gold's ideas. Nor have there been any economically significant discoveries from these ideas. Jabr has nothing on the recent discoveries of natural hydrogen, which are likely abiogenic and have caused a stir. Nothing significant found so far, but early days...
The "Pleistocene Park" chapter, on the attempt to re-create the Mammoth Steppe ecosystem in Siberia, is theoretically interesting, but the project is so underfunded that's it's almost laughably insignificant. And was further disrupted by the collapse of the USSR. He spends far more time on this than it's worth, in my judgment. So he's off to a ragged start.
Book has come due (new book, requested by another patron) @ p.65. DNF 12/3/24. Not great but interesting stuff. Typical of science books by journalists. See following note.
Read
March 31, 2024Becoming Earth by Ferris Jabr is an impressively concise book describing the interconnectedness of Earth, life, and everything in between. The book is broken down into three sections: Rock, Water and Air. Jabr postulates that each of these three components have fundamentally transformed Earth as we know it, both bringing Earth to life and life to Earth. Each section transports us to new locations, introduces us to new individuals, and uses evidence, both empirical and anecdotal, to justify Jabr’s claims.
Jabr’s writing is clearly written and should be easily consumed by most audiences. When items might be complex, he elaborates and explains as appropriate. There are many facts within this book that I highlighted or noted externally to reference back later. I also made notes of many adjacent subjects and individuals that piqued my interest and hope to learn more about. To these points, I give Jabr credit for introducing so much unique information in such a short book.
I would recommend this to my friends and family looking to further their knowledge of Earth, the Gaia hypothesis, and the interconnectedness of rocks, water, air, and life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Jabr’s writing is clearly written and should be easily consumed by most audiences. When items might be complex, he elaborates and explains as appropriate. There are many facts within this book that I highlighted or noted externally to reference back later. I also made notes of many adjacent subjects and individuals that piqued my interest and hope to learn more about. To these points, I give Jabr credit for introducing so much unique information in such a short book.
I would recommend this to my friends and family looking to further their knowledge of Earth, the Gaia hypothesis, and the interconnectedness of rocks, water, air, and life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2024
In this nonfiction, the author proffers the idea that our world is alive. He walks us through how, over billions of years, our planet has evolved into a living and breathing being. The book is laid out in three parts - rock, water and air - for ease of structure. The author presents insights into the interconnectedness and interdependence of all living things, including the planet we call Earth. From plankton to seaweed, soil to plants, oxygen to water, wildfires to controlled burning, we get a swath of insights into why the earth could be considered a living being. We traverse the world for these insights - from 5,000 feet below the earth’s crust in South Dakota, to Wrangel Island off the coast of Russia, to Massawa in Eritrea and the Sahel in Africa, and back to Hawaii, Catalina Island off southern Calfornia, Rhode Island , to his own garden in Portland, Oregon in the U.S., and much more. Overall, this was an interesting and intriguing read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 18, 2024
Published in 2024, this book is the author's update on James Lovelock's Gaia theory (Earth as an organism) and modified by Lynn Margulis to Earth as an ecosystem (see her 1998 book, Symbiotic Planet: A New Look at Evolution). Our scientific understanding of life's relationship to the planet has been undergoing a major reformation for some time now. For starters, it's worth knowing that use of the word Gaia has fallen into disfavor. Nowadays, when the Gaia concept comes up, the word Earth is used, instead.
Contrary to long standing maxims, life has been a formidable geological force through out Earth's history, often matching or surpassing the power of glaciers, earthquakes, and volcanos. Come to find out, life orchestrates its various environments and participates in its own evolution.
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their environment. As you know, the living human body is a remarkable ecosystem. Further up the remarkable scale, Earth too, can be seen as a single, huge ecosystem due to the interconnectedness of all living organisms and their physical surroundings.
Are you familiar with intraterrestrial microbes? Apparently, around 90 percent of all living microbes reside deep underground (> the soil horizon) and make up a large part of the Planet's biosphere. As an example we exploit deep, subsurface geological sedimentary beds rich in coal seams as a source of methane or natural gas. This methane gas accumulates beneath the pressure of groundwater for millions of years as a waste product of carbon feeding bacteria.
Microbes affect dissolution, transformation, and formation of minerals through metabolic activities. So, don't expect an interesting array of minerals like here on Earth during your future exploration of dead planets, moons, and asteroids. Biogeo chemistry concepts are becoming a standard part of the curriculum in Natural Science degree programs.
Did you know, soil is the most complex biomaterial on Earth? As I understand it, by maximizing the use of core conservation agriculture principles enough carbon dioxide can be sequestered from the atmosphere to pre industrial levels by the turn of the next century. Beyond solving the climate crisis, conservation agriculture practiced at any scale has other benefits. Although, it's a huge cultural and societal change in behavior, I actually see this relatively low cost transition happening.
Forests of giant kelp captures (from CO2 dissolved in seawater) and sequesters (through sedimentation on the seafloor) carbon at a faster rate than land forests.
Did you know there are beaches, including eastern Hawaii, where plastic trash regularly stacks up 4 feet + high even when it's periodically removed using heavy equipment?
Rain is seeded by fungi and specific bacteria species. Life doesn't just receive rain, it summons it. The Amazon Rainforest by exhaling huge amounts of water vapor, itself, generates half of its rainfall and contributes to rainfall as far away as Manitoba, Canada.
More known is that earthworms and beavers change the topography and climate of the continents. And, as you know, people collectively are a geophysical force.
The author explains the long time relationship between fire and the biosphere. This relationship, strangely, has evolved into being symbiotic.
The author quotes the American science fiction writer, Kim Stanley Robinson:
"The distances between here and any truly habitable planets are too great. That's why we aren't hearing from anyone out there. That's why the great silence persists.
There are many other living intelligences out there, no doubt. But they can't leave their home planet anymore than we can, because life is a planetary expression and can only survive on its home planet."
Is it possible that Earth by using its people, way off in the future, will reproduce itself, with people functioning as its gametes? Well ...many things are possible. And zillions of things are impossible.
Contrary to long standing maxims, life has been a formidable geological force through out Earth's history, often matching or surpassing the power of glaciers, earthquakes, and volcanos. Come to find out, life orchestrates its various environments and participates in its own evolution.
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their environment. As you know, the living human body is a remarkable ecosystem. Further up the remarkable scale, Earth too, can be seen as a single, huge ecosystem due to the interconnectedness of all living organisms and their physical surroundings.
Are you familiar with intraterrestrial microbes? Apparently, around 90 percent of all living microbes reside deep underground (> the soil horizon) and make up a large part of the Planet's biosphere. As an example we exploit deep, subsurface geological sedimentary beds rich in coal seams as a source of methane or natural gas. This methane gas accumulates beneath the pressure of groundwater for millions of years as a waste product of carbon feeding bacteria.
Microbes affect dissolution, transformation, and formation of minerals through metabolic activities. So, don't expect an interesting array of minerals like here on Earth during your future exploration of dead planets, moons, and asteroids. Biogeo chemistry concepts are becoming a standard part of the curriculum in Natural Science degree programs.
Did you know, soil is the most complex biomaterial on Earth? As I understand it, by maximizing the use of core conservation agriculture principles enough carbon dioxide can be sequestered from the atmosphere to pre industrial levels by the turn of the next century. Beyond solving the climate crisis, conservation agriculture practiced at any scale has other benefits. Although, it's a huge cultural and societal change in behavior, I actually see this relatively low cost transition happening.
Forests of giant kelp captures (from CO2 dissolved in seawater) and sequesters (through sedimentation on the seafloor) carbon at a faster rate than land forests.
Did you know there are beaches, including eastern Hawaii, where plastic trash regularly stacks up 4 feet + high even when it's periodically removed using heavy equipment?
Rain is seeded by fungi and specific bacteria species. Life doesn't just receive rain, it summons it. The Amazon Rainforest by exhaling huge amounts of water vapor, itself, generates half of its rainfall and contributes to rainfall as far away as Manitoba, Canada.
More known is that earthworms and beavers change the topography and climate of the continents. And, as you know, people collectively are a geophysical force.
The author explains the long time relationship between fire and the biosphere. This relationship, strangely, has evolved into being symbiotic.
The author quotes the American science fiction writer, Kim Stanley Robinson:
"The distances between here and any truly habitable planets are too great. That's why we aren't hearing from anyone out there. That's why the great silence persists.
There are many other living intelligences out there, no doubt. But they can't leave their home planet anymore than we can, because life is a planetary expression and can only survive on its home planet."
Is it possible that Earth by using its people, way off in the future, will reproduce itself, with people functioning as its gametes? Well ...many things are possible. And zillions of things are impossible.
October 31, 2024
Highly recommend this for poets and planeteers alike. INCENDIARY prose + mind-heart-soul-blowing content. This read is completely my thing, scientifically thrilling understanding-expanding. The reexamination of the Gaia Theory as the overarching contextual frame, revisiting the naysayer scientists and how they've changed their thinking, the scene at the end VISITING Lovelock, OMG!!! Reading Becoming Earth reminded me of the times my grandpa went on walks with me around the Florida Everglades when I was a teen and brought the world to life with Lovelock's theory. Very grateful to Ferris Jabr for writing this, for centering indigenous voices, for being openly queer, and for his concern-in-action about our climate crisis. The kind of read that reminds me I'm not alone.
September 24, 2024
Loved. Scientific and educational while also speaking to my philosophical heart.
November 1, 2025
Becoming Earth by Ferris Jabr
This book was amazing. 10/10 no notes.
I didn’t think I’d be the kind of person who likes science books, but I find myself enjoying earth science books in narrative form. In Becoming Earth, Jabr makes the case that the world is one huge ecosystem/organism. He discusses microorganisms in the earth, air, and water and the roles they play in keeping the world in balance. He gives us a history of the planet through these creatures and provides a framework on how to view the earth and her history through their lives and actions.
Jabr writes in a welcoming way and invites the reader to join him as he goes to the deepest parts of the earth, travels to the arctic, visits rainforests, and also bringing it home with how these organisms work in his own backyard. Through the wonder of exploring the world through this lens, he also offers warnings to the effects we humans have on the planet and the delicate balance that exists. He asks ethical questions regarding climate solutions and how even those solutions will affect their environment. He discusses plastics and their over abundance on land and sea. He talks to scientists and climate activists and shows what’s being done, what solutions are being tested, and what’s being considered. He reminds the reader that while the earth will continue, the earth as we know it won’t.
This book was incredible. I didn’t realize how many microorganisms are in this world and their importance in the balance of the ecosystem. It was truly interesting and engaging and a part of science I don’t typically think about. This one is a must read.
This book was amazing. 10/10 no notes.
I didn’t think I’d be the kind of person who likes science books, but I find myself enjoying earth science books in narrative form. In Becoming Earth, Jabr makes the case that the world is one huge ecosystem/organism. He discusses microorganisms in the earth, air, and water and the roles they play in keeping the world in balance. He gives us a history of the planet through these creatures and provides a framework on how to view the earth and her history through their lives and actions.
Jabr writes in a welcoming way and invites the reader to join him as he goes to the deepest parts of the earth, travels to the arctic, visits rainforests, and also bringing it home with how these organisms work in his own backyard. Through the wonder of exploring the world through this lens, he also offers warnings to the effects we humans have on the planet and the delicate balance that exists. He asks ethical questions regarding climate solutions and how even those solutions will affect their environment. He discusses plastics and their over abundance on land and sea. He talks to scientists and climate activists and shows what’s being done, what solutions are being tested, and what’s being considered. He reminds the reader that while the earth will continue, the earth as we know it won’t.
This book was incredible. I didn’t realize how many microorganisms are in this world and their importance in the balance of the ecosystem. It was truly interesting and engaging and a part of science I don’t typically think about. This one is a must read.
August 5, 2025
LOVED this book! Such a fascinating read about the life on earth from micro organisms in rocks, water, and air to larger life forms and the roles they play in defining earth as an ecosystem
December 30, 2024
Misleading title. If you haven't already read an general 'climate change and what to do about it' book, you will likely enjoy this a lot more than I did. But if you are not new to that topic (which is notably not the title of the book...) and picked this up to learn about the origins of earth, you will be disappointed. For example, in the "air" section here is a full, long chapter talking about renewables, carbon capture, and other climate solutions, as well as whole pages about what is going wrong.
Amidst the admittedly well written tangents on where the author went to learn about this topic, who is studying it, and what disasters await us if we don't solve the climate crisis, you will get about 100 pages of really interesting biologic and geologic history spanning billions and millions of years. I came away with a new perspective on how inanimate and animate earth interacts. There are enough gems in here to make it worth the relatively short read, but I would not recommend it if your goal is to learn "How Our Planet Came to Life."
Amidst the admittedly well written tangents on where the author went to learn about this topic, who is studying it, and what disasters await us if we don't solve the climate crisis, you will get about 100 pages of really interesting biologic and geologic history spanning billions and millions of years. I came away with a new perspective on how inanimate and animate earth interacts. There are enough gems in here to make it worth the relatively short read, but I would not recommend it if your goal is to learn "How Our Planet Came to Life."
September 1, 2025
Being not familiar with any of Jabr's previous writing, at least that I can remember, I had mixed reactions to this book. If nothing else though, he does use our increasing understanding of the world as a system to make a pretty good argument for something you might as well call the "Gaia" concept, that living creatures down to the bacterial level (maybe especially so), have a great impact on the wider environment.
Less good is that I probably learned more about Jabr than I really cared about, though that's an occupational hazard of books such as this.
Least good is that this kind of journalism is already a moving target, as Jabr can write how a solid impact has been made on getting world carbon dioxide levels under control, whereas now the United States has an administration committed to allowing the fossil-fuel industry to make a fast buck as though tomorrow doesn't matter.
Actual rating: 3.5.
Less good is that I probably learned more about Jabr than I really cared about, though that's an occupational hazard of books such as this.
Least good is that this kind of journalism is already a moving target, as Jabr can write how a solid impact has been made on getting world carbon dioxide levels under control, whereas now the United States has an administration committed to allowing the fossil-fuel industry to make a fast buck as though tomorrow doesn't matter.
Actual rating: 3.5.
March 19, 2025
I can be hesitant when a read a nonfiction on a topic in which I have limited knowledge. Will the author simplify things too much or will the reader feel themself slogging through a dense textbook? The author achieved the perfect balance and the result is a fascinating book about how our planet is alive. The fact that simple micro-organisms, not just trees, water, etc, have an important role to play in the health of our planet made clear how our planet is a complex multitude of connected systems. This was a fascinating read.
December 11, 2025
Amazing book about life itself.
Jabr dives into so many hidden corners of life, some truly astonishing and shocking places life can be found, and how all life has not only been shaped by the planet, but has shaped the planed right back. I learned so much and to paraphrase Jabr, feel the oceans in my blood, the stone in my skeleton, and the very atmosphere in my lungs.
Great book that showcases the interconnectivity of life and the environment, and subsequently human life and its extreme shaping of the planet.
Jabr dives into so many hidden corners of life, some truly astonishing and shocking places life can be found, and how all life has not only been shaped by the planet, but has shaped the planed right back. I learned so much and to paraphrase Jabr, feel the oceans in my blood, the stone in my skeleton, and the very atmosphere in my lungs.
Great book that showcases the interconnectivity of life and the environment, and subsequently human life and its extreme shaping of the planet.
October 17, 2024
Every once in a while you have to read a good nonfiction book. I would highly recommend Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life.
Ferris Jabr is not only knowledgeable about geography and geology, but he has a way of winding together fact, humor, science and his personal life to tell a very good story. Some of the facts he shares will blow your mind and you'll have to go back and read a few pages again just to make sure you have it right.
You may not believe in Darwin's theory or climate change but one thing that you will be utterly convinced of is that microorganisms will rule the Earth!
Ferris Jabr is not only knowledgeable about geography and geology, but he has a way of winding together fact, humor, science and his personal life to tell a very good story. Some of the facts he shares will blow your mind and you'll have to go back and read a few pages again just to make sure you have it right.
You may not believe in Darwin's theory or climate change but one thing that you will be utterly convinced of is that microorganisms will rule the Earth!
May 28, 2025
"We are neither the cancer of Earth nor its cure. We are its progeny, its poetry, and its mirror" (229).
December 12, 2024
My favorite nonfiction read of 2024. A mix of awe-inspiring earth history, discovery, science, and our challenge to prevent ourselves from screwing it all up for humans.
June 10, 2024
Fascinating. Jabr rehabilitates the Gaia "hypothesis", effectively in my opinion, but I'm not well versed in the science so take that for what it's worth. The author, through his own researches and extensive interactions with specialists in the various earth sciences, makes a compelling argument for the interconnectedness of all things. From the very beginning!
Thanks Goodreads for the free advanced copy.
Thanks Goodreads for the free advanced copy.
February 21, 2025
It feels a bit strange to refer to a science book as "moving," but that was my experience reading it. The major ideas of this book are: the Earth is not just a passive unalive thing where life happens, but the Earth itself is a major living organism, that reacts to what happens on it. The second is the idea that life is not just impacted by its surroundings and either adapting or dying out, but life is actively evolving to shape its surrounding environment as well. This symbiosis is beautifully depicted throughout the book in illuminating examples provided by Jabr. It really is true: what happens in the Amazon rainforest today could impact what happens in Canada tomorrow. While this can be scary, especially with all we know of climate change, there is something beautiful in the unity and interconnectedness of Life. The book is very well-organized, divided into sections on rock, water and air, with three chapters in each section. Jabr explains the structure and project of the book very well in the introduction. Jabr's writing is also beautiful, accessible and draws one in easily. I would love to read more from him. Just some passages that I marked out:
"We and other living creatures are more than inhabitants of Earth; we are Earth - an outgrowth of its physical structure and an engine of its global cycles. Earth and its creatures are so closely intertwined that we can think of them as one."
"Thus species adapt to their environments. But their physical environments do not remain fixed during the process, nor are they subject to purely geological change. As living creatures evolve, they alter their surroundings extensively. Some of these changes persist and inevitably influence any evolution that follows."
"Climate change is already here... The thing is, if I don't do anything, nothing will happen. Unless we are doing something - not just writing about it, not just shouting or yelling that, 'Oh, we're all going to die,' but actually, practically doing something - nothing will happen."
"The idea itself that Earth is a garden is one of the oldest metaphors on record... the modern scientific understanding of out planet as a vast interconnected living system reframes the metaphor in an important way, however... historically... the world has been portrayed as a passive garden: a preformed idyll over which we have complete dominion or a fertile but dangerous wilderness we must shape and tame... far from being passive, Earth and its constituent creatures are agents in their own evolution."
I could go on and on about the brilliance of how Jabr describes the way things grow, the way plants and microbes have evolved, etc, but let it suffice to say that I found this well worth the read.
"We and other living creatures are more than inhabitants of Earth; we are Earth - an outgrowth of its physical structure and an engine of its global cycles. Earth and its creatures are so closely intertwined that we can think of them as one."
"Thus species adapt to their environments. But their physical environments do not remain fixed during the process, nor are they subject to purely geological change. As living creatures evolve, they alter their surroundings extensively. Some of these changes persist and inevitably influence any evolution that follows."
"Climate change is already here... The thing is, if I don't do anything, nothing will happen. Unless we are doing something - not just writing about it, not just shouting or yelling that, 'Oh, we're all going to die,' but actually, practically doing something - nothing will happen."
"The idea itself that Earth is a garden is one of the oldest metaphors on record... the modern scientific understanding of out planet as a vast interconnected living system reframes the metaphor in an important way, however... historically... the world has been portrayed as a passive garden: a preformed idyll over which we have complete dominion or a fertile but dangerous wilderness we must shape and tame... far from being passive, Earth and its constituent creatures are agents in their own evolution."
I could go on and on about the brilliance of how Jabr describes the way things grow, the way plants and microbes have evolved, etc, but let it suffice to say that I found this well worth the read.
January 18, 2025
Loved this. The book is broken down into sections focusing on earth, water, and air, highlighting the bi-directional relationship between life and earth. I found the sections on earth and air the most interesting. I never knew tiny microbes lived inside rocks and thrived 6000m beneath the surface of the earth!
The central argument builds upon James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis, which is starting to be formalized in the new field of Planetary Ecology. The idea is that life, in the forms of animals and microbes, are active agents reshaping the earth and specific environments to become more conducive to life. Microbes living deep within the earth’s crust helped create the continents. Microbes help freeze water in the air, which can act as a return ticket to the ground after evaporating into the skies. Pools of water gather in the footprints of large animals like elephants, quickly becoming ecosystems themselves supporting a variety of insects and microbes. Or, in a mesmerizing example, Jabr shows us how the Amazon’s trees generate the very rain which showers the rainforest, contributing to a positive feedback loop influence the weather not only in the Amazon, but also across the planet in Canada.
Jabr’s eye for accuracy and specificity is complimented by his genuine reverence for the natural world. Every page teems with awe, and his wonder is contagious. Not only does he illuminate hidden depths of the world, but he inspired us to become active agents in the world’s preservation. If a book like this doesn’t galvanize readers to take what little measures we can as individuals to support efforts tackling climate-change, none will.
The central argument builds upon James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis, which is starting to be formalized in the new field of Planetary Ecology. The idea is that life, in the forms of animals and microbes, are active agents reshaping the earth and specific environments to become more conducive to life. Microbes living deep within the earth’s crust helped create the continents. Microbes help freeze water in the air, which can act as a return ticket to the ground after evaporating into the skies. Pools of water gather in the footprints of large animals like elephants, quickly becoming ecosystems themselves supporting a variety of insects and microbes. Or, in a mesmerizing example, Jabr shows us how the Amazon’s trees generate the very rain which showers the rainforest, contributing to a positive feedback loop influence the weather not only in the Amazon, but also across the planet in Canada.
Jabr’s eye for accuracy and specificity is complimented by his genuine reverence for the natural world. Every page teems with awe, and his wonder is contagious. Not only does he illuminate hidden depths of the world, but he inspired us to become active agents in the world’s preservation. If a book like this doesn’t galvanize readers to take what little measures we can as individuals to support efforts tackling climate-change, none will.
October 10, 2024
He really loves describing peoples hair and sometimes it feels like the philosophical end notes to each tidbit of scientific information are unnecessary but overall I absolutely loved the structure of the book and the balance of information provided. It wasn’t unapproachable at all but still managed to provide new and relevant information which I really appreciated as someone with a background in science.
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July 8, 2025I'm gonna start writing brief reviews on here. This book has some of the most cleverly written and mind-blowing popular science writing I've ever read (and I've recently read a lot). I'm pretty convinced that the Earth is Alive! Some of the personal stories about other people interwoven into the chapters felt a little tacked on to try to humanize the sweepingly broad concepts and processes that he's talking about, but I can understand why they're there. Big fan!
January 6, 2025
I enjoyed the book, the way it was organized and the writer's use of topic experts to explain and elaborate on how these complex topics are unified into an enormous entity....Earth. Well worth my time!!
April 14, 2025
3.5 - The content is sooooo interesting and compelling and surprisingly spiritual but I didn’t find the style of writing to be very engaging. It felt like one of those really really long (like too long) readings that an inconsiderate professor would assign without any regard for your other classes and extracurriculars. It’s great, but it shouldn’t feel like the same length as Shōgun.
February 2, 2025
This book introduced me to the idea of Earth as a living planet in a way I never knew before. I had no idea how much impact different organisms have in shaping the land, creating the atmosphere and producing different weather conditions. The author brings you to interesting places around the planet illustrate what kind of science is going on there and how the conditions in those places relate to the overall cycles of nature on Earth.
December 19, 2024
'Every creature and object in existence -whether a rock, leaf, whale, or rubber flip-flop; whether formed by geology, evolution, or engineering- has a life cycle, even though we may be too short-lived or shortsighted to see it.'
This is a marvelous look at our earth and it's complexities. This book redefined the symbiotic relationship to include earthly 'things' we usually consider inanimate ... 'things' in the environment that not only shape the living organisms around them, but are in turn shaped. Fire. Rock. Bogs. All are 'systems' or 'processes' that are continually shaping and being shaped. Evolution is not just creatures adapting to their environment ... their presence is also changing the environment so that the environment too is evolving.
The book is full of examples ... whether it's in the ocean, the atmosphere, the soil or fire .... 'every creature and object in extistence' is part of an ongoing process ... this thing called life.
This is a marvelous look at our earth and it's complexities. This book redefined the symbiotic relationship to include earthly 'things' we usually consider inanimate ... 'things' in the environment that not only shape the living organisms around them, but are in turn shaped. Fire. Rock. Bogs. All are 'systems' or 'processes' that are continually shaping and being shaped. Evolution is not just creatures adapting to their environment ... their presence is also changing the environment so that the environment too is evolving.
The book is full of examples ... whether it's in the ocean, the atmosphere, the soil or fire .... 'every creature and object in extistence' is part of an ongoing process ... this thing called life.
December 30, 2024
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I’m excited that I did, because I’m grateful to have it in my personal library. It’s written in prose that is scientifically detailed yet also accessible enough for people like me who aren’t scientists. The book explores the way the earth itself is alive, in the sense that it is one massive ecosystem. Learning about the ways life on Earth shapes the planet, and vice versa, was fascinating and a reminder of just how fortunate we are to call Earth home — and how important it is that we work to protect Earth as it currently is, so it can continue to support such a vast diversity of life (including humans). The book helpfully explores some of the ways human-caused climate change is altering Earth and some of the research and technological advances being employed to slow and lessen it.
January 21, 2025
Changed the way I think about "Earth." I very much liked how the author described the earth as "alive".
February 17, 2025
Books like this remind me that I’m not religious, not because I am a dull and factual scientist and ecologist, but because the intricacy and complexity of Earth is so much more magnificent and impressive than anything a feeble human mind could dream up.
Jabr artfully blends science with poetry; world-changing research with intimate anecdotes; and laments on anthropogenic pillaging with determined and fiercely optimistic action calls to action.
An amazing and evocative telling of Earth’s incredible living history.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jabr artfully blends science with poetry; world-changing research with intimate anecdotes; and laments on anthropogenic pillaging with determined and fiercely optimistic action calls to action.
An amazing and evocative telling of Earth’s incredible living history.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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