The Big Splash: A Scientific Discovery That Revolutionizes the Way We View the Origin of Life, the Water We Drink, the Death of the Dinosaurs, the C

Book by Frank, Louis A., Huyghe, Patrick

If Frank, a University of Iowa physicist, is correct, millions of small comets made of ice and water strike the Earth's atmosphere every year; the continuous influx of cosmic HO, according to this theory, created our lakes, rivers and oceans, and will one day submerge the planet. The existence of small, previously undetected comets was confirmed by Clayne Yates of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1988, yet Frank's theory continues to generate sharp controversy. He maintains that small comets could have carried organic materials--the seeds of life--to Earth and may have triggered the extinction of dinosaurs. Frank's credentials are impressive: he helped calibrate the first U.S. lunar probes and has made a number of discoveries in astronomy. Written with Huyghe ( Glowing Birds ), the narrative presents evidence for an intriguing hypothesis as it casts light on the turf wars and professional jealousies that can hinder scientific research.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Frank, a professional physicist, has proposed a hypothesis that the Earth is regularly bombarded by approximately 20 small water/ice comets per minute. He has further speculated on the implications of his theory for the origin of the oceans, the extinction of the dinosaurs, the origins of life on this planet, and much more. Here, he presents the evidence he has assembled and the story of his struggles with various scientific critics of his work. His basic theory may well prove to be true, but his eagerness to claim all sorts of grandiose consequences for his theory appears to be a bit premature. Also, readers should be aware that Frank is not yet supported by a consensus of scientific specialists. Still, as a provocative work in a hotly contested area, the book is recommended for academic and large public libraries.
- Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Lib., Ann Arbor
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.