Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>This book explores how the atmosphere, oceans, landforms, and the position and movement of our beautiful planet create much of the familiar world that we know and experience. In an accessible and inviting manner, it presents basic explanations for how the dynamic and interconnected land-ocean-atmosphere system creates weather and climate on Earth, and how this interacts with the rich biological world, as they form and shape one another. The approach is engaging, and although at times it may dive deeply into an explanation, it is most definitely not a technical treatise or textbook. There are concise and interesting explanations of fundamental patterns, such as why it is warm, wet, and humid in the tropics, hot and arid in Death Valley and the center of Australia, and cool and rainy in Dublin and Seattle. The book outlines what causes the seasons, blue skies, and hurricanes, how clouds are formed, and why it rains sometimes—and at other times, it fails to rain. There are some interesting digressions and many photos and illustrations. This basic understanding of our planet is something everyone should—and can—understand. The concepts here are fundamental to our everyday lives and will enable the reader to better understand Earth—the home we live on with our fellow humans and the rest of the living world.</jats:p>