Geologist Tim Gregory reveals that beneath the charred crust of these celestial rocks lies a staggering variety of rock types. Their unique constituents, vibrant colors and pungent smells contain fascinating stories of interstellar clouds, condensing stardust and fiery collisions of entire worlds. Gregory explores the world of meteorites to take a fresh look at what our solar system was like before our sun became a star, the creation of our planet and the appearance of life on it. Mankind has long sought answers to important questions in the sky. This book shows how science finally comes to answer those very questions.