Building Planet Earth: Five Billion Years of Earth History (Cambridge University Press, $39.95, £25.00) by Peter Cattermole details the geological evolution of Earth. Through a range of colourful diagrams and photographs the book explains the mechanics behind the planet's development. Sampling fossils and lava on the way, the book reveals the origins of the continents and discusses what causes modern-day natural disasters. Familiar features, such as Ayers Rock (above), are described and their genesis detailed. The book also looks at the methods used in geophysics and geochemistry.