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Also Recommended
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A Very Short Introduction
Martin Redfern
£7.99
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Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction
Bill McGuire
152 pages
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Halftones and line drawings
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174x111mm
978-0-19-280493-8
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Paperback
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26 January 2006
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- Tackles the Big Question: how long will humanity survive?
- Bill McGuire is the leading British expert on volcanoes and on the ominously titled 'high-impact, low-frequency mega-geohazards'
- Examines the issues of overpopulation and exploitation, which are dramatically increasing the planet's vulnerability to natural catastrophes
- The relative dangers of human activities and natural climatic variability, with regard to global warming, are considered, confronting the question 'How bad can it get?'
New to this edition - This is an updated reissue in the best-selling <i>Very Short Introductions</i> series of Bill McGuire's book <i>A Guide to the End of the World</i>. This edition has been fully updated following tragic recent events including the Asian Tsunami of December 2004.
Life on earth will come to an end. It's just a matter of when. Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction focuses on the many potential catastrophes facing our planet and our species in the future, and looks at both the probability of these events happening and our chances of survival.
Coverage
extends from discussion of the likely consequences of the current global warming to the inevitable destruction of the earth in the far future, when it is enveloped by our giant, bloated sun. In between, other 'end of the world scenarios' will be examined, including the New Ice Age, asteroid and comet impact, supervolcanoes, and mega-tsunami.Readership: This is a subject of huge fascination which will appeal to a wide general audience - anyone interested in the global warming debate, the environment, and those looking for a scientific insight into recent natural disasters. It will also be of interest to students of geology, geophysics, and natural history.
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Bill McGuire, Benfield Professor of Geophysical Hazards and Director of the Benfield Hazard Research Centre, UCL
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Review(s) from previous edition
"A very enjoyable if somewhat frightening read - Latest Homes 14/05/2002
"This book is racy, pacy, opinionated, sassy and fun [...] an ideal holiday read, in fact" - Geoscientist
"each chapter does cover the current state of knowledge with impressive thoroughness, often backed by striking facts and figures" - New Scientist 13/04/2002
"I would heartily recommend Bill McGuire's potted history of the Earth and its many mechanicanisms of destruction" - www.bluegreenearth.com 16/04/2002
"The book is pacy and terrifying" - Literary Review 01/04/2002
"a convincing, gripping and, at times. terrifying, case" - TNT Magazine 18/03/02
"If you like self mutilation, this book will make a humorous light read at bedtime" - Front Magazine, 01/04/2002
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Foreword
1: A Very Short Introduction to the Earth
2: Global Warming: a lot of hot air?
3: The Ice Age Cometh
4: The Enemy Within: super-eruptions, giant tsunami, and the coming great quake
5: The Threat from Space: asteroid & comet impacts
Epilogue
Appendix A: Threat Timescale
Appendix B: Geological Timescale
Further reading
Index
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The specification in this catalogue, including without limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations, and month of publication, was as accurate as possible at the time the catalogue was compiled. Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory. Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.
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