The book of the famous popularizer of science, Professor Robert Hazen, introduces us to a fundamentally new approach to the study of the Earth, in which the history of the origin and development of life on our planet and the history of the formation of minerals are intertwined. A fine storyteller, Hazen captivates the reader from the opening lines with a dynamic narrative of the co-operative and interdependent development of living and inanimate nature. Together with the author, the reader breathlessly travels through billions of years: the emergence of the Universe, the appearance of the first chemical elements, stars, the solar system, and, finally, the formation and detailed history of the Earth. The movement of entire continents through thousands of kilometers, the rise and fall of huge mountain ranges, the destruction of thousands of types of earthly life and the complete change of landscapes under the influence of meteorites and volcanic eruptions - reality turns out to be much more interesting than any myth. The astrobiologist's imagination, the historian's methodology and the naturalist's sharp eye help the author to describe the most difficult questions of science amazingly clearly. However, Hazen does not dwell on our time, based on the latest scientific discoveries - he gives the reader an exciting glimpse into the future.