In this book, four leading scientists present the most up-to-date discoveries in the different fields of Ice Age Research. They reveal how the epoch was discovered, the profound climatic fluctuations it generated as ice sheets waxed and waned, and the myriad ways in which humans and animals coped with the changing world they lived in. The final chapter issues a stark warning about the future of our planet and the consequences of our profligate lifestyles. Magnificently illustrated with dramatic photography, explanatory diagrams and reconstruction scenes, ''The Complete Ice Age'' shows above all the fragility of our climate system and the power of humans to adapt to the most extreme environmental challenges.