A Choice of Catastrophes

by Isaac Asimov

Overview

Isaac Asimov, scientist, author, and Earth-dweller, explores the many potential natural and man-made catastrophes that could change life as we know it, or erase us from the face of the Earth.
 
Natural properties and laws might change at any time, rendering life on this planet—or anywhere in the universe—impossible. But the disasters that are most imminent are in our power to control—technology, nuclear warfare, pollution. Natural forces far more powerful than man might destroy us. Or they may have nothing to do with bringing about the end.
 
“The master of the future tense has done it again. . . . Chillingly credible.”—UPI

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780449900482
Publisher:	Random House Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/12/1981
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Isaac Asimov began his Foundation series at the age of 21, not realizing that it would one day be considered a cornerstone of science fiction. During his legendary career, Asimov penned over 470 books on subjects ranging from science to Shakespeare to history, though he was most loved for his award-winning science fiction sagas, which include the Robot, Empire, and Foundation series. Named a Grand Master of Science Fiction by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Asimov entertained and educated readers of all ages for close to five decades. He died, at the age 72, in April 1992.

Date of Birth:

January 20, 1920

Date of Death:

April 6, 1992

Place of Birth:

Petrovichi, Russia

Place of Death:

New York, New York

Education:

Columbia University, B.S. in chemistry, 1939; M.A. in chemistry, 1941; Ph.D. in biochemistry, 1948

Table of Contents

	Introduction	13
Part I	Catastrophes of the First Class
1	The Day of Judgment	17
	The Twilight of the Gods
	Messianic Expectation
	Millennarianism
2	The Increase of Entropy	25
	The Conservation Laws
	Energy Flow
	The Second Law of Thermodynamics
	Movement at Random
3	The Closing of the Universe	46
	The Galaxies
	The Expanding Universe
	The Contracting Universe
4	The Collapse of Stars	60
	Gravitation
	Black Holes
	Quasars
	Within Our Galaxy
Part II	Catastrophes of the Second Class
5	Collisions with the Sun	83
	Birth by Close Encounter
	Orbiting the Galactic Nucleus
	Mini-Black Holes
	Antimatter and Free-Planets
6	The Death of the Sun	102
	The Energy Source
	Red Giants
	White Dwarfs
	Supernovas
	Sunspots
	Neutrinos
Part III	Catastrophes of the Third Class
7	The Bombardment of the Earth	133
	Extraterrestrial Objects
	Comets
	Asteroids
	Meteorites
8	The Slowing of the Earth	150
	Tides
	The Longer Day
	The Receding Moon
	The Approaching Moon
9	The Drift of the Crust	163
	Internal Heat
	Catastrophism
	The Moving Continents
	Volcanoes
	Earthquakes
	The Tectonic Future
10	The Change of Weather	191
	The Seasons
	Triggering the Glaciers
	Orbital Variations
	The Arctic Ocean
	The Effect of Glaciation
11	The Removal of Magnetism	213
	Cosmic Rays
	DNA and Mutations
	The Genetic Load
	Earth's Magnetic Field
Part IV	Catastrophes of the Fourth Class
12	The Competition of Life	237
	Large Animals
	Small Animals
	Infectious Disease
	Microorganisms
	New Disease
13	The Conflict of Intelligence	262
	Nonhuman Intelligence
	War
	Barbarians
	Gunpowder to Nuclear Bombs
Part V	Catastrophes of the Fifth Class
14	The Depletion of Resources	289
	Renewable Items
	Metals
	Pollution
	Energy: Old
	Energy: New
	Energy: Copious
15	The Dangers of Victory	330
	Population
	Education
	Technology
	Computers
	Afterword	361
	Index	363