The extraordinary and beautiful scenery of the Northern Scottish Highlands has been created by a geological history lasting over 3 billion years. This is an illustrated geological history of those years, showing the rocks, visiting the places and introduces famous researchers and their theories that have been inspired by the Highlands.

Featuring spectacular locations across the Northern Highlands of Scotland, this book describes modern geological science and explores current theories. The extraordinary history of a beautiful landscape should appeal to more general readers as the book combines humour and scientific facts.

Don't miss WATCH HIM DIE, the next edge-of-your-seat thriller from Sunday Times bestselling author, CRAIG ROBERTSON - perfect for fans of Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh. Available to order now. Glasgow is being terrorised by a serial killer the media have nicknamed The Cutter. The murders have left the police baffled. There seems to be neither rhyme nor reason behind the killings; no kind of pattern or motive; an entirely different method of murder each time, and nothing that connects the victims except for the fact that the little fingers of their right hands have been severed. If DS Rachel Narey could only work out the key to the seemingly random murders, how and why the killer selects his victims, she would be well on her way to catching him. But as the police, the press and a threatening figure from Glasgow's underworld begin to close in on The Cutter, his carefully-laid plans threaten to unravel - with horrifying consequences. Brilliant crime fiction for fans of Stuart MacBride and Ian Rankin, Random is Craig Robertson's debut thriller and was shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger. Praise for Craig Robertson: 'Robertson is doing for Glasgow what Rankin did for Edinburgh' Mirror 'I can't recommend this book highly enough' MARTINA COLE 'Brace yourself to be horrified and hooked' EVA DOLAN 'Fantastic characterisation, great plotting, page-turning and gripping. The best kind of intelligent and moving crime fiction writing' LUCA VESTE 'Really enjoyed Murderabilia - disturbing, inventive, and powerfully and stylishly written. Recommended' STEVE MOSBY 'A great murder mystery witha brilliantly realised setting and deftly painted characters' JAMES OSWALD 'Takes a spine-tingling setting and an original storyline and adds something more'Scottish Daily Record 'A perfectly constrcuted police procedural with real psychological depth' Crimefictionlover

God and Gaia explores the overlap between traditional religious cosmologies and the scientific Gaia theory of James Lovelock. It argues that a Gaian approach to the ecological crisis involves rebalancing human and more-than-human influences on Earth by reviving the ecological agency of local and indigenous human communities, and of nonhuman beings. Present-day human ecological influences on Earth have been growing at pace since the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions, when modern humans adopted a machine cosmology in which humans are the sole intelligent agency. The resultant imbalance between human and Earthly agencies is degrading the species diversity of ecosystems, causing local climate changes, and threatens to destabilise the Earth as a System. Across eight chapters this ambitious text engages with traditional cosmologies from the Indian Vedas and classical Greece to Medieval Christianity, with case material from Southeast Asia, Southern Africa and Great Britain. It discusses concepts such as deep time and ancestral time, the ethics of genetic engineering of foods and viruses, and holistic ecological management. Northcott argues that an ontological turn that honours the differential agency of indigenous humans and other kind, and that draws on sacred traditions, will make it is possible to repair the destabilising impacts of contemporary human activities on the Earth System and its constituent ecosystems. This book will be of considerable interest to students and scholars of the environmental humanities, history, and cultural and religious studies.

Scotland is home to some of the most amazing and important geology in the world. And there is no need to trek miles across desert sands and rappel down steep cliffs to see it. Many of Scotland’s most significant geological sites can be seen along its major highways—if you know where to look and understand what you are looking at. Rocks on Wheels to the rescue! RXoW takes you to thirty-six road or path accessible sites (stops) on six different excursions (trips) and explains the geology you see there so nongeologists can understand it. RXoW brings Scotland’s rocks to life! This is no small feat considering that many of them are billions of years old.

Climate change, a familiar term today, is far more than just global warming due to atmospheric greenhouse gases including CO2. In order to understand the nature of climate change, it is necessary to consider the whole climatic system, its complexity, and the ways in which natural and anthropogenic activities act and influence that system and the environment. Over the past 20 years since the first edition of Understanding Global Climate Change was published, not only has the availability of climate-related data and computer modelling changed, but our perceptions of it and its impact have changed as well. Using a combination of ground data, satellite data, and human impacts, this second edition discusses the state of climate research today, on a global scale, and establishes a background for future discussions on climate change. This book is an essential reference text, relevant to any and all who study climate and climate change. Features Provides a thought-provoking and original approach to the science of climate. Emphasises that there are many factors contributing to the causation of climate change. Clarifies that while anthropogenic generation of carbon dioxide is important, it is only one of several human activities contributing to climate change. Considers climate change responses needed to be undertaken by politicians and society at national and global levels. Totally revised and updated with state-of-the-art satellite data and climate models currently in operation around the globe.

Discover one of the Scottish Enlightenment's brightest stars. Among the giants of the Scottish Enlightenment, the name of James Hutton is overlooked. Yet his Theory of the Earth revolutionised the way we think about how our planet was formed and laid the foundation for the science of geology. He was in his time a doctor, a farmer, a businessman, a chemist yet he described himself as a philosopher – a seeker after truth. A friend of James Watt and of Adam Smith, he was a polymath, publishing papers on subjects as diverse as why it rains and a theory of language. He shunned status and official position, refused to give up his strong Scots accent and vulgar speech, loved jokes and could start a party in an empty room. Yet much of his story remains a mystery. His papers, library and mineral collection all vanished after his death and only a handful of letters survive. He seemed to be a lifelong bachelor, yet had a secret son whom he supported throughout his life. This book uses new sources and original documents to bring Hutton the man to life and places him firmly among the geniuses of his time.