Are Natural Disasters Increasing?

Contemporary movies and television programs often depict the world as we know it displaced, awash in ocean tides or broken into pieces by devastating earthquakes. The climate data coming through news outlets can seem to reinforce this fatalistic view, with earth warming records hitting new levels year after year. While it can seem like natural disasters are increasingly affecting our world, is there data to support this perception or is this view of events mediated by panicked activists and the media? This anthology explores key ideas and opinions regarding discussions about natural disasters, including subjects such as the frequency and severity of natural disasters, poor infrastructure, human activity, and the economic costs of natural disasters.