San Antonio College Library

Deserts are remarkable places. Typified by aridity and extremes of temperature, they can be harsh and hostile or spectacularly beautiful. For much of the time a desert may look desolate and lifeless, but on occasion, it teems with life. Nick Middleton explains how each desert is unique: through fantastic life forms, extraordinary scenery, and ingenious human adaptations. He demonstrates the desert's immense natural splendour, oncovers its rich biodiversity,...

Lands of extremes, contrasts and constant change, deserts cover a quarter of our planet's land area and are home to some half a billion people. 'The desert' as an idea has long captured the Western imagination, but too often in ways that fail to grasp the true scope and diversity of these spaces. Misconceptions and misrepresentations also abound about the realities of the lives of people for whom the desert is home. Deserts are landscapes of the mind...

Featuring footage from the BBC and other natural history archives, the Fierce Earth series showcases the power of nature's fury. This episode focuses on the extremely dry climate in Chile's Atacama Desert. Viewers learn what geographical features created the desert, how residents live in the extreme climate, and why it's an excellent location for telescopes.

"[Book title] looks at the long history of human habitation in the American Southwest and similar arid areas to propose new--and some very old--strategies to meet the challenges of creating more equitable, adaptable, and enduring communities for the twenty-first century."--Book jacket.

"Captures rare action, impossible locations, and intimate moments with our planet's best-loved, wildest, and most elusive creatures. From the highest mountains to the deepest rivers, [the program] takes you to places you've never been to experience sights and sounds never before captured on film. Prepare to be overwhelmed by the beauty and majesty of 'Planet Earth'"--Container