(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat- Omani geologist, Dr Mohamed Hilal al Kindi's book on the evolution of land and ancient life in the sultanate is sure to take readers on a fascinating journey. The book through its chapters offer some very interesting insights.
Titled, Evolution of Land and Life in Oman: An 800 Million Year Story, the book addresses a host of questions on the marvellous geology of the sultanate. It is written in English and will soon be translated into Arabic.
A structural geologist from Oman, Dr Kindi said he started writing the book few months ago. 'With each chapter, I aim to take readers on a fascinating journey of the evolution of land and ancient life in Oman some 800mn years ago. The book has six chapters and 220 pages.'
Through the book, the author tries to touch on important aspects of life and land in each geological era. 'Some of the questions addressed include, what tectonics affected this part of the world and what organisms lived there? How climate and life developed?
'Did life forms become more complex and varied or become extinct and disappear forever? The book thoroughly reconstructs this land and ancient life evolution and offers readers an understanding on how land, climate and life have evolved and developed in Oman through millions of years,' said Dr Kindi.
Through the six chapters, Dr Kindi also wishes to promote Oman as a tourist destination, he said. 'The first chapter is called, 'An Outline of the History of the Earth and Oman'. It talks about the history of the earth, the types of living organisms that lived on it; the disasters faced and the age of the rocks,' said Dr Kindi.
Each chapter revisits each period such as Precambrian, Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic. An interesting topic is the presence of dinosaurs in the Mesozoic period.
'The appearance of dinosaurs and their significant spread across the globe represents the most prominent life phenomena during the Mesozoic period.
'A dinosaur vertebrae was found in the Al Khoudh area in Muscat governorate. It dates back to the Cretaceous period about 70mn years ago. It is about 15cm long and was found by me during a survey by the Geological Society of Oman in 2014.'
In another chapter, Dr Kindi also describes how four Omanis in Adam mountains in Dhofar stumbled across a fossil of an elephant-like animal that lived about 35mn years ago.
Dr Kindi has done his BSc from the University of Aberdeen in 2003 and PhD from the University of Leeds in 2006. Since 2015, Dr Kindi is the CEO of Geo Consultancy Centre in Muscat. The centre is founded with the aim of providing high-quality services on geophysical, geological and geotechnical services.
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