Megacatastrophes!: Nine Strange Ways the World Could End - Softcover

Darling, David; Schulze-Makuch, Dirk

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1851689052 ISBN 13: 9781851689057

Publisher: Oneworld Publications, 2012

Synopsis

Celebrate the year of the Mayan Apocalypse in style with Megacatastrophes!, as Dr. David Darling and Dr. Dirk Schulze-Makuch delve into the amazing science of the end of the world.

Could it be the asteroid hurtling towards us from outer space, or a super-volcano covering the Earth under a cloud of ash; black holes gobbling up the solar system, or a tiny army of nanobots in a deranged feeding frenzy? Oh, and don’t forget — there’s always the risk of alien invasion. Rating the likelihood of each potential disaster, David and Dirk provide the best guide to the worst that could happen, and explore what we could do to save our souls. So sit down, face the inevitable, and prepare to discover the nine weirdest ways we could all go to meet our maker.

About this title

About the Author:

Dr. David Darling is an astronomer, freelance science writer and creator of one of the most popular online encyclopaedias of space and astrobiology. He is the author of numerous works, including the bestselling Equations of Eternity. Dr. Dirk Schulze-Makuch is currently Professor in Astrobiology at Washington State University. His research has been widely published in media ranging from academic journals to The New Scientist.

Review:

"Who needs vampires and zombies for excitement? Delightful ... an authoritative but good-humored look at an array of natural and technological disasters."
—Albert A. Harrison, Professor Emeritus Psychology, University of California, Davis, and author of Starstruck: Cosmic Visions in Science, Religion and Folklore

"Fascinating, if sometimes macabre ... A fabulous book that got better with every page - I couldn't put it down!"
—Debra Fischer, Professor of Astronomy at Yale University

"Nicely written, thoroughly researched, highly recommended. Doomsday is already marked in the calendar."
—Alberto Fairen, Alberto Fairen

"A surprisingly cheerful look at the science of how humanity might meet a messy end, from incurable diseases to exploding stars. Who says reading about the end of the world needs to be grim?"
—Chad Orzel, author of How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog

"The entertaining selection of end-of-the world scenarios is the perfect excuse to learn about science, from the atomic to the galactic and from the terrestrial to the extra-terrestrial.Specially recommended for those who think that the end of humankind cannot cheer you up."
—Alfonso Davila, Senior Scientist at the SETI Institute and Principal Investigator at the Carl Sagan Institute

"A mix of good old-fashioned silliness and some fine science writing. Next time someone tells you, 'Cheer up, it might never happen,' throw this book at them."
—BBC Focus Magazine

About this edition

• Publisher: Oneworld Publications
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1851689052
• ISBN 13: 9781851689057
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 200