Time and Tide: A Romance of the Moon

The author presents two illustrated public lectures explaining tidal theory and how lunar and solar gravity produce ocean tides, examining tidal friction as the process that transfers Earth’s rotational energy to the Moon and thereby lengthens the day while the satellite slowly recedes. He links these mechanisms to geological and astronomical evidence, contrasts the relative roles of lunar and solar tides, and applies present observations to infer deep-time consequences for Earth’s past and future. The exposition blends clear physical argument, numerical estimates, and accessible analogies to make the astronomical and geophysical ideas intelligible to a general audience.