The Biosphere

by Vladimir I. Vernadsky

Book Overview

"What Darwin did for life through time, Vernadsky did for life through space on a geological scale." --Lynn Margulis This classic 1926 book is the first sustained expression of the idea, now widely accepted, that life is a geological force. It founded the field of biogeochemistry and is one of the seminal works in what is now known as Gaia theory. This edition, the first unexpurgated English translation, is fully annotated for the modern reader.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038798268X
• ISBN13: 9780387982687
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: Copernicus Books
• Length: 178 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.3" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

A Hidden Revolution

I have had the honour of reading numerous papers by Vernadsky and find as always with genius, a hidden underlaying dimension of truth. The Biosphere is without hesitation a work of scientific spirituality as well as pure scientific genius! In a time when environmental destruction is ramp, and politically controled scientific stupidity proliferates, logical hope and science is at hand. With Vernadsky science personifies a bridge between life and its meaning. Science is indeed the search for truth, and Vernadsky biosphere is a must for youth!!!!!

A work of rare genius rediscovered

It's hard to read this book without coming away with the impression of a powerful, original mind at work. Many of Vernadsky's ideas remain unappreciated to this day. In particular, the idea of life as a cosmological phenomenon, as a means by which energy is stored and transformed on a planetary scale, should become increasingly important as the science of astrobiology develops a rigorous intellectual basis.

Deepest Naturalist

I'm very happy that Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky becomes little by little known for the English speaking public. Although his "Biosphere" has been written over 70 years ago, even now its ideas remain fresh and actual. Indeed, the "Biosphere" provides a new level of thinking which permits us to consider Vladimir Vernadsky as a deepest naturalist of our century. And now I'm looking forward to the time when they will be translated and published his subsequent books - first of all the book on the noosphere: "Scientific thought as a planet phenomenon & quot.

Excelent book

I have read this Vernadsky's books in Russian - his works is the cornerstone of modern culture. Vernadsky's work will be as important for human civilization in new millennium as books of Newton, Darwin, Einstein and Plato now. I'd like to read English Edition. Vernadsky's works are important for EVERYBODY, not only for biologists. Semyon D. Savransky, Ph.D. (Physics & Materaials Science, TRIZ)

I worked on the '97 edition, and I'm impressed!

A biology graduate studying under Lynn Margulis, I was fortunate enough to be involved in preparing "The Biosphere" for publication; and even the raw typescript I transferred onto disk was impressive! Let me eagerly recommend V.I. Vernadsky, as the unsung Charles Darwin of geological and ecological science. In his time, Academician Vernadsky was a groundbreaker: the first to appreciate the vast scope of life's chemical influence upon the Earth ... this planet, which owes its own uniqueness to the very "living matter" of which we, just as all other organisms, are a part. To the readers of today, Vernadsky's own words tell us the historic beginnings of the discipline this brilliant, long-uncredited scientist's ideas founded. No student or advocate of global ecology should miss this thought-provoking, eye-opening book!