From the celebrated author of The Ends of the World an epic biography of the molecule that
made - and could now break - everything we know All life is made from CO 2 . It was there at
earth's birth and throughout evolution. It has kept our planet habitable for hundreds of
millions of years. It has given us all the splendours of the world we know today. And yet it
also holds the potential for life's destruction. In this gripping adventure through eras and
places award-winning science journalist Peter Brannen tells the story of the world's most
important molecule. We travel from the beginning of time all the way up to our present reality
witnessing the staggering journey that CO 2 has undertaken. As we watch its movements through
the rocks the air the oceans and living beings over four billion years we come to see more
clearly what it means for us to be churning through ancient life - in the form of fossil fuels
- as we power our industrial world. We are Brannen shows performing an unprecedented
experiment on our planet. If we are to avoid its catastrophic consequences we must all begin
to deepen our understanding of this curious substance which has given us everything from the
very first life forms on earth to the business titans reshaping our planet today.
