Lithosphere Lithosphere A lithosphere ( ["lithos"] for "rocky", and ["sphaira"] for "sphere") is the rigid, outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet, or natural satellite, that is defined by its rigid mechanical properties. On Earth, it is composed of the crust and the portion of the upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of years or greater. The outermost shell of a rocky planet, the crust, is defined on the basis of its chemistry and mineralogy. The study of past and current formations of landscapes is called geomorphology. Earth's lithosphere includes the crust and the uppermost mantle, which constitute
Costing the Earth Costing the Earth Costing the Earth is a programme on BBC Radio 4 about the environment. According to the programme´s website, it looks at man's effect on the environment and how the environment reacts, questioning accepted truths, challenging those in charge and reporting on progress towards improving the world. The programme reports on all matters relating to the environment. The most recent series has covered topics as diverse as the impact of having a baby on the environment and Germany's energy revolution. Notably the series worked with BBC2's Newsnight programme and the BBC World Channel's Our World to produce a