The Secret Life of Dust : From the Cosmos to the Kitchen Counter, the Big Consequences of Little Things

Hannah Holmes A mesmerizing expedition around our dusty world Some see dust as dull and useless stuff. But in the hands of author Hannah Holmes, it becomes a dazzling and mysterious force; Dust, we discover, built the planet we walk upon. And it tinkers with the weather and spices the air we breathe. Billions of tons of it rise annually into the air--the dust of deserts and forgotten kings mixing with volcanic ash, sea salt, leaf fragments, scales from butterfly wings, shreds of T-shirts, and fireplace soot. Eventually, though, all this dust must settle. The story of restless dust begins among exploding stars, then treks through the dinosaur beds of the Gobi Desert, drills into Antarctic glaciers, filters living dusts from the wind, and probes the dark underbelly of the living-room couch. Along the way, Holmes introduces a delightful cast of characters--the scientists who study dust. Some investigate its dark side: how it killed off dinosaurs and how its industrial descendents are killing us today. Others sample the shower of Saharan dust that nourishes Caribbean jungles, or venture into the microscopic jungle of the bedroom carpet. Like The Secret Life of Dust, however, all of them unveil the mayhem and magic wrought by little things. Hannah Holmes (Portland, ME) is a science and natural history writer for the Discovery Channel Online. Her freelance work has been widely published, appearing in the Los Angeles Times Magazine, the New York Times Magazine, Outside, Sierra, National Geographic Traveler, and Escape. Her broadcast work has been featured on Living on Earth and the Discovery Channel Online's Science Live. Some See Dust As Dull Stuff, Useless At Best, And Sneeze-inducing At Worst. But In The Hands Of Writer Hannah Holmes, Dust Becomes A Dazzling And Mysterious Force. As Holmes Says, Dust Is A Messenger, And Air Is Its Medium. And By The End Of This Fascinating Journey Through The Secret Life Of Dust, We Cannot Help But Agree.--jacket. Introduction -- The World In A Grain Of Dust -- Life And Death Among The Stars -- A Light And Intriguing Rain Of Space Dust -- The (deadly) Dust Of Deserts -- A Steady Upward Rain Of Dust -- Dust On The Wind Heeds No Borders -- Did Dust Do In The Ice Age? -- A Steady Downward Rain Of Dust -- A Few Unsavory Characters From The Neighborhood -- Microscopic Monsters And Other Indoor Devils -- Dust To Dust. Hannah Holmes. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 211-228) And Index. "Some see dust as dull stuff, useless at best, and sneeze-inducing at worst. But in the hands of writer Hannah Holmes, dust becomes a dazzling and mysterious force. As Holmes says, dust is a messenger, and air is its medium. And by the end of this fascinating journey through The Secret Life of Dust, we cannot help but agree."--BOOK JACKET. An armchair expedition that takes readers from the first moments of the Big Bang to the story of the birth of Earth then all around the planet, in order to introduce the science of dust and the many roles different types of dust play in the life of our planet. Picture a juice glass sitting on a porch railing in the sunshine.