Without energy, nothing would ever happen. There would be no life. The sun wouldn't shine, winds wouldn't blow, rivers wouldn't flow, trees wouldn't grow, birds wouldn't sing and fish wouldn't swim. Nothing could exist without enegry. Yet inspite of all that, energy is seldom considered a part of what we call "nature". This text explores energy's role in nature, how and where it originates, what it does, and what becomes of it. Using a wide range of scientific disciplines, Pielou looks at the myriad of ways in which energy and its transfers affect the earth and its inhabitants. Learn how energy is delivered to earth from the sun, how it causes the weather, how it shapes the world through building and erosion, how it is captured and used by living things, how it is harnessed to fuel human society , and much more. This book should delight scientists of all ages.