Synopsis

A profound paradox defines our Earth: life is a prerequisite for life. From its earliest emergence, the biosphere has relentlessly reshaped the planet, organisms – microbes, plants, animals – altering landscapes and atmospheres in astonishing ways. Fish waste builds reefs, the decay of creatures forms mountains, and lichen subtly shift continents. Yet, this same life possesses the capacity for destruction. We now alter the climate, but we are not the first to do so. Long before humanity, microbe