Packed with more than 3,000 indispensable facts about the flora and fauna of the world, this handy reference explains the formation of mountains, deserts, glaciers, forests, jungles, seas and rivers, fossils, rocks, gems, and minerals. This book will delight all readers who love natural history, whether they are animal, plant, bird, or reptile enthusiasts, with its clean design and rich photographs and illustrations. Some of the volume’s fascinating topics include how the Earth and solar system began, the tropical ice age, evidence of ancient life, poisonous plants, mangrove swamps, the ozone hole, celestial fireworks, and the Earth’s weather systems.