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 wonderful storyteller, Hazen from the first lines captivates the reader with a dynamic narrative about the joint 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 species of terrestrial life and the complete change of landscapes under the influence of meteorites and volcanic eruptions reality is much more interesting than any myth. The imagination of the astrobiologist, the methodology of the historian and the sharp eye of the naturalist help the author to describe the most difficult questions of science with amazing clarity. However, Hazen does not stop at our time, based on the latest scientific discoveries - it gives the reader an exciting opportunity to look into the future.