Andy Knoll, Ph.D.

Andrew Knoll, Ph.D., Fisher Professor of Natural History and Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University
The Knoll Lab

Dr. Knoll is an leading expert in tracing the relationship between evolution of ancient organisms and their environments, particularly the period leading to the great Cambrian "explosion" of species. His pioneering contributions include the development of methods for identifying biomarkers in ancient sediments and rocks, where early life forms left chemical traces.

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Dr. Knoll discussed his book and his extensive research on co-evolution on SftPublic's Contemporary Science Issues and Innovations March 08, 2016. Co-Evolution of Organisms and Their Environments

Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth, (2003), won the 2003 Phi Beta Kapa Book Award in Science. It is one of the best sources of information on the interdependence of evolutionary phenomena: organisms, geology, environment, climate.

In an appearance On August 23, 2021, Dr. Knoll discussed his (2020) book A Brief History of Earth. This is another must-read. In Knoll's explanation of how Earth's geology, chemistry, environment and biology interact, the book demonstrates the way we should learn earth science. This is a very accessible and fascinating account of how our planet developed and how it functions. This book also makes clear the scale of the human impact on our planet.