Ends of the Earth

‘What a remarkable planet we live on – wildest at its cold and lovely poles. This compelling volume should summon us to defend that cold, the vital task for our time on earth.’ —Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

‘Fascinating. Important.’ —Spectator

‘In the hands of an expert storyteller and brilliant biologist, the topics of ice and the polar regions become a fast-moving, fascinating book that combines travelogue and natural science discovery. From encountering the arctic wooly bear caterpillars and hearty tardigrades to polar fish that manufacture their own “anti-freeze,” I found Ends of the Earth to be a delightful and compelling read.’ —Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organised Mind

‘For me, as a theoretical physicist who works at his desk with coffee always nearby, Neil Shubin’s brand of science is exhilarating, scary, and a bit alien. But adventuring to forbidding climes teaches us amazing things about our Earth and life on it. We’re fortunate to have such a gifted writer on the scene to bring back these stories.’ —Sean Carroll, author of The Biggest Ideas in the Universe

‘Ends of the Earth is a gripping tale of polar exploration, from a scientist and science writer of the highest caliber. A veteran of fossil-hunting expeditions at both poles, Neil Shubin writes with such warmth about an icy subject. Come for the adventure but stay for the science, as Shubin’s captivating storytelling will give you a new appreciation for some of the harshest and most mysterious places on Earth.‘ —Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

‘He [Shubin] describes the lived experience of a field researcher, along with lively accounts of polar science from the earliest days until now. Locked within the polar ice are revelations about the deep past of the Earth and its climate, offering predictions about its future… Shubin writes well about how such discoveries have been made: a lay reader can enjoy the thrill of discovery without enduring the harsh conditions.’ —New Statesman

‘Ends of the Earth is a cosmic adventure story written in ice. It’s a tale of glaciers that flow like rivers and scientists who fall through crevasses and animals that evolve their own anti-freeze to allow them to thrive in extreme cold. Shubin brings alive some of the harshest and most fragile places on Earth, revealing the exquisite dance of time and physics and biology that created these icy realms and all the creatures that inhabit them, as well as the perils these regions now face in our rapidly-warming world. In the ice, Shubin has discovered the story of our time.’ —Jeff Goodell, author of The Heat Will Kill You First

‘Shubin writes persuasively about the wonder, complexity, and weirdness of glacial ice and how it has “transformed our world.” He explores the grandeur, mysteries, and threats to the Arctic and Antarctica. The polar regions’ topography and punishing climate are vividly described… Enlightening and often, well, chilling, Shubin’s evaluation of the polar world masterfully merges discovery, appreciation, and concern.’ —Booklist, starred review

‘In this dazzling report, Shubin, a biology professor at the University of Chicago, examines what the Earth’s poles reveal about the planet and the universe… Elsewhere, Shubin offers hair-raising accounts of his own polar voyages, including a 2002 trip to Canada’s Ellesmere Island during which 70 mph winds shredded his tent, and fascinating trivia on the adaptations of Arctic fauna… This enlightens and amazes.’ —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Neil Shubin is the author of Some Assembly Required (also published by Oneworld), Your Inner Fish and The Universe Within. He is the Robert R. Bensley Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2011.