Writing for a popular audience, the authors describe earthquakes and volcanos from the point of view of scientists investigating their causes and attempting to forecast future activity. Focusing on volcanic and seismic hazards across the U.S., the book discusses past events and efforts to understand them for future predictive purposes. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
Kerry Sieh is Professor of Geology in the Seismological Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology and a member of numerous groups and organizations concerned with the prediction of earthquakes and strategies to minimize the damage and harm they cause. Sieh was recently elected a member of the National Academy of Science, and he is the author of many scientific articles on earthquake geology and volcanism and the co-author of The Geology of Earthquakes.
Simon LeVay is a neuroscientist and well-known science writer who has taught at Harvard Medical School and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California. He has also lectured widely and is a frequent interviewee on topics related to brain research and homosexuality.