Thanks × 10⁶ to those who made this book better: Stephen Thompson, the jolly Irish geologist who taught me about Timor’s fascinating rocks. Julie Yu for sundry lucid chemistry clarifications. Karen Kalumuk for similar biological explanations. Bill Maney for checking my math and physics. David Keith for climate pointers. Roger Stewart for patiently guiding it down the road to publication. Elizabeth Welch, copy editor extraordinaire. Scout Festa, the supernatural proofreader.

The SESIM crew here in Dili, Timor-Leste: Luis, Vero, Mimi, Caetano, Bernardino, Angela, Olandino, Julio, and many other inspirational Timorese teachers. All my colleagues at the Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO, under the Timor-Leste Ministry of Education.

Frances Gabrielson for giving input, albeit far outside her considerable realm of expertise. My partner Pam for ever-cogent editing, as well as pulling more weight in the household as I played with this stuff.

My fabulous tropical models, friends of my kids:

Acede

Elis

Mariça

Nova

Tania

Wiltor

And of course my own kids!

Paulo Ramelau

Zoraya Alicia