Thousands of people die every year from floods,
volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, hurricanes and
typhoons. Yet compared to what the Earth endured
in prehistoric times-lethal volcanic winters,
deadly asteroid collisions-our civilization has
developed against a backdrop of relative geological
calm. Will this calm last? A Brief Guide to the End
of the World looks at the frightful prospects that
await us in the 21st century and beyond. Bill McGuire,
a leading expert in the field of geological hazards,
admits that the omens are less than encouraging. Only
10,000 years after the last Ice Age, the Earth is
sweltering in some of the highest temperatures it has
ever seen. Overpopulation and the relentless
exploitation of natural resources, combined with
rising temperatures and sea levels induced by
greenhouse gases, are increasing the likelihood of
natural catastrophes, from continuing El Ninos, to
large-scale glacial melting, to mega-tsunami. Even
more disturbing is the near certainty that we are
headed toward another asteroid or comet collision on
the scale of the one that wiped out the dinosaurs. In
this provocative and immensely readable guidebook,
McGuire discusses when these catastrophic events are
likely to take place, how they will effect our global
society, and what we can do to increase our chances of
survival--from emissions reductions, to massive geo-
engineering schemes, to the colonization of space.
Illustrated with photographs and diagrams, and backed
by meticulous research, A Brief Guide to the End of
the World sheds new light on the extraordinarily
vulnerability of our planet, and on our capacity to
withstand the dramatic changes Mother Nature has in
store for us in the distant--or not so distant--future.

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