Dangerous Earth

“A fascinating and riveting read that really succeeds in bringing you right to the cutting edge of open questions in the earth sciences.” —Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist

Today, we know more than ever before about the powerful forces that can cause catastrophe, but significant questions remain. Why can’t we better predict some natural disasters? What do scientists know about them already? What do they wish they knew? In Dangerous Earth, marine scientist and science communicator Ellen Prager explores the science of investigating volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, rip currents, and—maybe the most perilous hazard of all—climate change. Each chapter considers a specific hazard, begins with a game-changing historical event (like the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens or the landfall and impacts of Hurricane Harvey), and highlights what remains unknown about these dynamic phenomena. Along the way, we hear from scientists trying to read Earth’s warning signs, pass its messages along to the rest of us, and prevent catastrophic loss.

A sweeping tour of some of the most awesome forces on our planet—many tragic, yet nonetheless awe-inspiring—Dangerous Earth is an illuminating journey through the undiscovered, unresolved, and in some cases unimagined mysteries that continue to frustrate and fascinate the world’s leading scientists: the “wish-we-knews” that ignite both our curiosity and global change.

“If there is one main thread in Prager’s book it is that the main threat to humanity is climate change. The book is small, but it contains a wealth of information.” —Lars Backstrom, Geoscientist

“Prager . . . delves into the mysteries of our planet’s hazards and why they continue to perplex the world’s scientists.” —Katie Aberbach, Wesleyan