The authors of this book have studied the changes in the chemi- cal composition of the atmosphere during geological history with regard to its close relationship to the evolution of the Earth's sedimentary shell. Beginning in 1977, the initial results of this study have been published as articles and parts of several monographs. Since new material clarifying atmospheric evolution have been obtained recently, the necessity has arisen to write a book treating the major results of investigations of the history of the atmosphere. In this book much consideration is given to the interrelation...

The necessity of eliminating the possibility of a large-scale nuclear conflict from the future of mankind is the most important problem of our times. There is no doubt that the probable aftereffects of such a conflict would by many times exceed the damage caused by the First and Second World Wars, the greatest in history. The question of the scale of the damage that would be inflicted upon liv ing nature by nuclear weapons has, however, not yet been fully clarified. It is clear that this damage would not be local, i.e., restricted to destruction in only the places of nuclear explosion. As a...