Ends of the Earth

A panorama of cutting-edge science in our planet’s harshest and most remote environments.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY TRIVEDI SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2025

AN ECONOMIST BOOK OF THE YEAR

'Thrilling... This book is a reminder of how incredibly "cool" our planet can be, and how we must fight to protect it.' Nick Mohammed

Frigid, remote and inhospitable – the polar regions seem far removed from our everyday lives.

But these seemingly isolated ice realms shape life on our planet far more than we realise, influencing everything from the climate to ocean health. They may even hold the secrets to the origins of the Earth.

Taking an epic journey of discovery from pole-to-pole, ferrying between penguins and polar bears, Ends of the Earth reveals the polar regions as never before. Meeting with the leading physicists, climatologists, geologists, biologists and palaeontologists working in these extremes – often as eccentric as they are intrepid – Neil Shubin presents the compelling new science of the Arctic and Antarctic with characteristic verve and expertise.

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'A fast-moving, fascinating book that combines travelogue and natural science discovery... a delightful and compelling read.' Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organised Mind

'Gripping... Shubin’s captivating storytelling will give you a new appreciation for some of the harshest and most mysterious places on Earth.' Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

'What a remarkable planet we live on – wildest at its cold and lovely poles. This compelling volume should summon us to defend that cold, the vital task for our time on earth.' Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

'Fascinating. Important.' Spectator