Planet Earth: A 4.5 Billion Year Story by DK

Discover incredible lost worlds from the past.

If the age of Earth was scaled to 24 hours, humans would only have come into existence in the last 38 seconds.

Twenty-two minutes ago, an asteroid hit Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, wiping out (almost) all dinosaurs.

Across the eons, Earth has been home to forest-dwelling mega-penguins, a mile-high waterfall in the Mediterranean, seas of molten lava, and many other fascinating sights.

This book provides snapshots of the most wonder-filled moments from our planet’s vast history, as well as the science and geography that created them.

Written by an expert palaeontologist, each snapshot of another world is accompanied by awe-inspiring illustrations, maps of the ever-moving continents, and photos of comparable contemporary phenomena.

So dive back into deep time, and unlock the secrets of our planet’s past.

About the Author: Sam Falconer’s detailed illustrations take science and nature topics and make them easy to comprehend. His clients include The Guardian, The Independent, The Times, the BBC, Radio Times, National Geographic, Nature, Scientific American, Harvard Magazine, and New Scientist. He has illustrated two other children’s books, Water Cycles and Life Cycles, for DK.

Dr Anthea Lacchia is a writer specialising in science and nature, and a science communicator. Trained as a geologist with a PhD in palaeontology, she has worked in journalism and academic research. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, Nature, The Irish Times, The Journal.ie, and Research Professional, among other outlets, and she is a regular contributor to DK’s science and nature books for children and adults.

02 Apr 2026
 

Planet Earth: A 4.5 Billion Year Story by DK ISBN 9780241716878