Absolute Expert: Rocks & Minerals

From amethysts and tanzanite to the sparkling geodes and erupting volcanoes, get the latest geological insights and intel straight from the field from National Geographic explorer and geophysicist Dr. Sarah Stamps.

Ready to go on a rocking great adventure? Travel across the globe to find out how the Earth formed so YOU can become an absolute expert. Get up close to the layers of rock beneath the Earth's surface. Learn about igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock cycles. Dig into sparkling crystals, quartz, diamonds, and other glorious gems. On the hunt for incredible rocks and minerals, you'll mine the depths of our planet and venture into the Earth's core. Geology comes alive in this cool book, filled with special features, sidebars, wacky trivia, and more.

RUTH STROTHER is an experienced author and editor who has developed dozens of books about home improvement, pet care, cooking, and children's literature.

DR. SARAH STAMPS is a geophysicist at Virginia Tech's Geodesy and Tectonophysics Laboratory in the department of geosciences. She uses technology to understand the physical processes that drive Earth's volcanoes and earthquakes. Dr. Stamps and her team are working to answer questions such as: How and why does the Earth move? and Why do continents break apart? She also works to help advance geoscience in developing countries. She is an active member of National Science Foundation's EarthCube Science Committee, a group of geoscientists working to improve geoscience research by developing data systems, and is a member of the NSF UNAVCO Education and Community Engagement Committee, a nonprofit consortium that facilitates geoscience research and education using geodesy (the study of Earth's shape, gravity field, and rotation).