Comet/Asteroid Impacts and Human Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Must Have Book to Understand Asteroid Impact Consequences
Comet/Asteroid Impacts and Human Society: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
Comets, Meteors & AsteroidsComets, Meteors & Asteroids | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 3540327096

Book Description

In 1908 an atmospheric explosion in northern Siberia released energy equivalent to 15 Mton of TNT. Can a comparable or larger NEO affect us again? When the next NEO strikes Earth will it be large enough to destroy a city? Will the climate change significantly? Can archaeology and anthropology provide insights into the expected cultural responses with NEO interactions? Does society have a true grasp of the actual risks involved? Is the Great Depression a good model for the economic collapse that could follow a NEO catastrophe? This volume provides a necessary link between various disciplines and comet/asteroid impacts.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Must Have Book to Understand Asteroid Impact Consequences.......2007-04-20

The Bobrowsky edited book is an excellent must-read book for anyone conducting serious intellectual inquiry into a potential asteroid impact with the Earth. The articles are a wonderful collection on a very serious topic. The reader gains multiple insights on the varied interdisciplinary issues related to asteroids. This is a fine contribution to the current state of knowledge. The book would make for an excellent university text in either astronomy or public policy agenda-setting and formulation. I highly recommend the investment in this book if you have serious interest in the history of asteroid/comet impacts as well as what humans may do to mitigate such a disaster in the future. I believe this book to be the best I have read on the topic of asteroids impacts. I am pleased to have added it to my personal library.
Mitigation of Hazardous Comets and Asteroids
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Mitigation of Hazardous Comets and Asteroids

    Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
    Comets, Meteors & AsteroidsComets, Meteors & Asteroids | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0521827647

    Book Description

    This book presents the most recent research on the development of a reliable defense against objects that can potentially collide with the Earth. Large asteroids and comets can collide with the Earth causing severe consequences, and collisions are a random process that can occur at any time. To reduce the threat, it is necessary to understand these potentially hazardous objects.
    Collision Course! Cosmic Impacts and Life on Earth
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Collision Course! Cosmic Impacts and Life on Earth
      Alfred B. Bortz , and Fred Bortz
      Manufacturer: Millbrook Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Library Binding

      AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy & Space | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0761314032
      Earth Science Made Simple
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Earth Science Made Simple is Simple
      • Just What I Wanted
      Earth Science Made Simple
      Edward F. Phd Albin
      Manufacturer: Broadway
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      5. Earth Science the Easy Way (Easy Way Series) Earth Science the Easy Way (Easy Way Series)

      ASIN: 0767917030
      Release Date: 2004-11-09

      Book Description

      A user’s guide to the planet.

      We see it every day, yet we understand so little about Earth. From minerals to meteorites, this book covers every aspect of the science of our world. It breaks this complex discipline into four major sections: geology, oceanography, meteorology, and planetary science, and it gives an overview of the processes of each. Complete with interactive experiments and a glossary, this book makes the study of our planet—and other planets— easier than ever.

      Topics covered include

      *rocks
      *plate tectonics
      *geologic processes and time
      *the sea floor and shoreline
      *currents
      *waves and tides
      *atmospheric conditions and layering
      *clouds, winds, and storms
      *exploration of the planets
      *natural satellites
      *asteroids and comets.


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      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars Earth Science Made Simple is Simple.......2007-09-09

      Great overview of the general topics in earth science. The only thing that I wish the book included would be question sets to review the material. I would use this book more as a resource for myself than my students.

      5 out of 5 stars Just What I Wanted.......2007-03-09

      I was looking for a basic science book to introduce Earth Science to my kids. Too many of the books I looked at were "dumbed down". I just wanted basic coverage of science without politically correct commentary. This books gives nice coverage to the topics without obvious slanting towards anyone's agenda. I like it. (Yes, biomes are threatened, but I'd like to teach my kids about them before I talk about why they are threatened.) All in all, a good basic book.
      Meteorites, Comets, and Planets, Volume 1: Treatise on Geochemistry, Volume 1 (Treatise on Geochemistry)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Meteorites, Comets, and Planets, Volume 1: Treatise on Geochemistry, Volume 1 (Treatise on Geochemistry)

        Manufacturer: Elsevier Science
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        4. Meteorites and their Parent Planets Meteorites and their Parent Planets
        5. Meteorites: A Petrologic, Chemical and Isotopic Synthesis (Cambridge Planetary Science) Meteorites: A Petrologic, Chemical and Isotopic Synthesis (Cambridge Planetary Science)

        ASIN: 0080447201

        Book Description

        Volume 1 provides a broad overview of the chemistry of the solar system. It includes chapters on the origin of the elements and solar system abundances, the solar nebula and planet formation, meteorite classification, the major types of meteorites, important processes in early solar system history, geochemistry of the terrestrial planets, the giant planets and their satellite, comets, and the formation and early differentiation of the Earth. This volume is intended to be the first reference work one would consult to learn about the chemistry of the solar system.



        Reprinted individual volume from the acclaimed Treatise on Geochemistry (10 Volume Set, ISBN 0-08-043751-6, published in 2003)
        Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets: The Search for the Million Megaton Menace That Threatens Life on Earth
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • Ignore speculation and you have a good book..
        • Craters
        • Please create an audio abridged version ...
        • Death from Space! - sometime.
        Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets: The Search for the Million Megaton Menace That Threatens Life on Earth
        Duncan Steel , and Arthur C. Clarke
        Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        Social Services & WelfareSocial Services & Welfare | Poverty | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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        Similar Items:
        1. Rain of Iron & Ice (Helix Books) Rain of Iron & Ice (Helix Books)
        2. Impact!: The Threat of Comets and Asteroids Impact!: The Threat of Comets and Asteroids
        3. Comet and Asteroid Impact Hazards on a Populated Earth: Computer Modeling Comet and Asteroid Impact Hazards on a Populated Earth: Computer Modeling
        4. Meteorites: Their Impact on Science and History Meteorites: Their Impact on Science and History
        5. The Tunguska Fireball The Tunguska Fireball

        ASIN: 0471308242

        Book Description

        Could a giant asteroid or comet crash into the Earth and destroy life as we know it? Many astronomers who formerly discredited the risks are now convinced there is a grave danger. In Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets, astronomer Duncan Steel explores the scientists' fascinating and often chilling findings.

        Director of one of three global asteroid and comet search programs, Steel is one of the world's leading experts. He tells the intriguing story of the scientific detection work that pieced together mounting evidence to uncover a stunning history of impacts. Massive comet and asteroid impacts scarred our planet frequently in the past—a comet was almost surely responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. Recent advances in telescope tracking technology show at least 2,000 objects now orbiting the Earth that are large enough to hit with the force of a nuclear weapon. Based on the best calculations, it is certain that the Earth will sooner or later find itself on a disastrous collision course once again.

        In the event of a collision, evidence suggests outcomes such as three-mile-high ocean waves capable of obliterating coastal communities worldwide, a massive conflagration and a cloud of dust and ash blocking all sunlight and making agriculture impossible. With consummate authority, Steel explains and evaluates these prospects and the plans researchers have proposed for the search and destruction of oncoming celestial bodies, including Edward Teller's provocative call for a nuclear bomb.

        Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets is a compelling account of the threat posed to life on Earth from outer space, and of scientists' response. Killer comets and asteroids populate the cosmos in greater numbers than we have ever imagined. But for the first time, humankind is in a position to prevent calamity. This book makes a compelling case that to waste that opportunity would be both perilous and foolhardy.

        "A chilling and utterly convincing account of a cosmic menace that must not be ignored any longer. Duncan Steel writes with authority and credibility. This book is a welcome challenge to the scientific prejudice against catastrophism." —Paul Davies, author of The Mind of God

        Evidence of Earth's encounters with killer comets and asteroids . . .

        An enormous crater 180 kilometers across was recently identified in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The asteroid that created it 65 million years ago must have been larger than 20 kilometers. Was this gargantuan collision the cause of a global environmental disaster that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs? Fossil evidence shows that 900f the terrestrial biomass was incinerated about the time of the asteroid's impact. Did an asteroid crash spark a fireball that literally saw the Earth go up in flames?

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars Ignore speculation and you have a good book.........2002-03-12

        I liked the book, but do not rate it as highly as "Rain of Iron and Ice" by John S. Lewis and "Impact" by Gerrit L Verschuur. However, it is much better than "Fire on Earth" by John and Mary Gribben.
        My chief reservation about Steel's work is that he seems easily drawn to flights of whimsy such as Clube's and Napier's contentions regarding Beta Taurid cometary impacts that have affected history on a mammoth scale. While these are captivating proposals, perhaps, there isn't enough hard scientific evidence for them clutter up what was otherwise a hitherto fine scientific presentation of a real problem by Steel. Up to the author's dalliance into the speculative, the book is a good read about a serious, overlooked, preventable threat. His admonitions should be taken seriously.

        2 out of 5 stars Craters.......2000-12-18

        Duncan Steel is one of the best known advocates for a near Earth observation system, and he and others like him should be listened to. Unfortunately the book is not too great. It didn't hold my attention, partly because of the intrusion of some of his opinions. If nothing else is available on the topic, this could be an okay choice. See instead "Rain of Iron and Ice" by John S. Lewis

        Related titles include "Night Comes to the Cretaceous" by James Lawrence Powell and "T Rex and the Crater of Doom" by Walter Alvarez.

        5 out of 5 stars Please create an audio abridged version ..........1999-06-17

        To the publisher I would appreciate it if the publisher could produce an audio adaptation of this book. I would love to listen to this while I drive to work and to let my 16 month old son listen to it as a bedtime story. My goal is to expose him to some of my favorite passions, maths, sciences, physics, geophysics, paleontology, astronomy, electronics, photonics, new science and discoveries etc. The more audio books you can produce of the above genre the more I will support you. Arnold D Veness

        4 out of 5 stars Death from Space! - sometime........1998-10-15

        Three events in the past decade have caused a great deal of interest in objects around us in space. Giotto's encounter with Halleys Comet, Hubble Space Telescope pictures of the Shoemaker/Levy comet crashing onto Jupiter and lastly the naked eye sightings of the Hale/Bopp Comet we have enjoyed earlier in the year. Originally from Somerset, Duncan Steel now works at the Anglo-Australian Observatory and his book provides a very readable account of the nature and movements of these very varied objects.

        Ever since the first pictures of other planets and in particular their moons arrived, studies have been made of their cratering records. Pictures from space have also been the main method of detecting craters but this time down on earth where plate tectonics, erosion, sediments or vegetation tend to erase them.

        Astronomy and Geology linked up when cosmic impact events were suggested as possible cause or trigger for some of the major extinctions we find in the fossil record. The effects of both solar and cosmic cycles on all aspects of life on the planet are now widely studied.

        Mr. Steel gives an account of a very bright meteor seen by many people in 1993 in New South Wales. When asked for an estimate of how soon it would before another such sighting to occur the answer was given in years. One week later, however, an object estimated to be 2-3 meters in size and traveling at 30Km/Sec exploded 18Km overhead with the amount of energy produced by a Hiroshima Bomb. Events such as these and the trail of impacts left on Jupiter show that objects in space are certainly not solitary. Lines of craters have been found on other moons in the system. Comet Hale/Bopp provided a spectacular sight a few months ago but for now the interest is in the debris and dust they and asteroids can leave behind often in highly eccentric trails across our orbit. Gravitational forces and solar wind affect the objects and the trails have a structure and it is the "busy" parts of the belt which give the peaks to meteor showers as we pass. The widely varying time scales which have been linked with extinctions and other cycles are the result of earth and solar system moving round the galaxy.

        The possible effects of a large impact, global warming, ice ages, large fire storms or basalt floods have all been discussed elsewhere but the book considers several other theories. A large object landing in the ocean could cause a truly instant catastrophe.

        This is the tsunami wave which can be caused by earthquakes or large undersea slope collapse. Islands in the middle of the Pacific can feel the effects of activity right across the ocean. The sloping continental shelves amplify the height of the waves and in low lying areas they can reach well in land. Observations of the cratering pattern on Mercury led to one theory where the shock waves from a large impact travel round the globe and fracture the crust on the opposite side. Reconstruction of the continents at the times of suggested impact events seems to make it possible to link basalt floods such as the Deccan traps with their "opposite" partner.

        The remainder of the book deals with the problems involved first in detecting objects which may be a threat to the earth and also discusses what or how anything could be done about it. The pictures of S/L 9 described as a "string of pearls" as it approached Jupiter show just how much of a problem this could prove. For a book found

        on the astronomy shelves in the library this one provided a very interesting read and shows that we on earth are not alone in space.
        Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • Helpful for lying on your back on a warm summer's night!
        Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids
        Seymour Simon
        Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 0688158439

        Book Description

        Whether they appear as distant specks in an astronomer's telescope or shoot brilliantly across the evening sky, comets, meteors, and asteroids have fascinated sky gazers throughout history. But where do these racing celestial bodies come from, and what can they teach us about our universe? Join Seymour Simon for a look at the fiery mystery and wild wonder of these luminous bodies of night.

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars Helpful for lying on your back on a warm summer's night!.......2000-07-26

        We're giving this book as a gift after having enjoyed it with our own family. We're amateur "stargazers", and our young friends enjoyed having this book as reference during visits with us. It's difficult to explain certain terms regarding the evening skies. This book helps to clarify, and does so beautifully!
        Dynamics of Comets and Asteroids and Their Role in Earth History
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Dynamics of Comets and Asteroids and Their Role in Earth History

          Manufacturer: Springer
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          AstronomyAstronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
          Comets, Meteors & AsteroidsComets, Meteors & Asteroids | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
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          ASIN: 0792352122

          Book Description

          This volume of proceedings contains research and review papers concerning the dynamics of asteroids and comets and especially their interactions with the Earth as signified by geological and historical records. Remembering what may have happened to the dinosaurs, but being careful to avoid creating irrational scares, the papers attempt to improve our knowledge of dynamics of the small objects of the Solar System and to assess in particular their effects on the Earth environment and the evolution of life.
          This book will be an up-to-date source of information to astronomers and dynamicists interested in the dynamics of small bodies of the Solar system, as well as to geologists and paleobiologists interested in the effects on the Earth of extraterrestrial bombardment by asteroids and comets.
          Mining the Sky (Helix Book)
          Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
          • Non Fiction
          • Now I see how it can be done
          • Amazing and important book, even 10 years later
          • This needs to be required reading in schools
          • Makes One Think
          Mining the Sky (Helix Book)
          John S. Lewis
          Manufacturer: Basic Books
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

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          5. The Starflight Handbook: A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel (Wiley Science Editions) The Starflight Handbook: A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel (Wiley Science Editions)

          ASIN: 0201328194

          Book Description

          While we worry over the depletion of the earth's natural resources, the pollution of our planet, and the challenges presented by the earth's growing population, billions of dollars worth of metals, fuels, and life-sustaining substances await us in nearby space. In this visionary book, noted planetary scientist John S. Lewis explains how we can mine these precious metals from the asteroids, comets, and planets in our own solar system for use in space construction projects. And this is just one of the possibilities. Join John S. Lewis as he contemplates milking the moons of Mars for water and hollowing out asteroids for space-bound homesteaders-all while demonstrating the economic and technical feasibility of plans that were once considered pure fiction

          Customer Reviews:

          3 out of 5 stars Non Fiction.......2007-09-03

          Mining the Sky : Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets
          by John S. Lewis takes a balance looked at the possibilities and/or necessities of space exploration and exploitation for economic reasons.

          There are a lot of resources out there, and finite resources here, and he looks at both private and public involvement in the activity.

          4 out of 5 stars Now I see how it can be done.......2007-07-28

          A short way into this book, I went to the back of the book to see if the author is a journalist or a real scientist. That's because it was so well written. He's a scientist alright. And, it wasn't long before I encountered the dense exposition I expected.

          So, there's a dusting of light reading, especially the scifi scenes that serve as introductions to each chapter. The craftsmanship of those would make a professional scifi writer envious.

          Then there's the info-packed core of each chapter. My chemistry and astrophysics is practically non-existant and I couldn't keep up, but I got the gist of it. I still appreciated the effort to explain things. Other authors would skip the explanation and merely state the conclusion. That would leave me wondering how trustworthy that statement was.

          In the end, I felt I had a good overview of how the future might take shape.

          I should warn you of that, at the start of the book, the author presents a version of 15th century Chinese explorations (he doesn't mention the name 'Zheng He') that is a little shakey historically. But blaming "the court eunuchs" makes too good a metaphor to let that get in the way. However, for a couple chapters at the end of the book he turns preachy -- essentially labelling dissenters from expansion into space as "court eunuchs", then disassociating himself from the political left and right by sloppily redefining their positions. I guess he couldn't trust us to make our own way thru political thickets. Fortunately, the just-the-facts bulk of the book make up for these few tantrums.

          5 out of 5 stars Amazing and important book, even 10 years later.......2007-01-10

          This is a wonderful book. The author lays out, very plainly, how the vast resources of the solar system will enable a prosperous future for 10 quadrillion people within half a millenium, and at the same time save the Earth from the economic and ecological dangers it now faces.

          Parts of the book are a bit dated now, including the "new afterword by the author" which was written in 1997 (only a year after the book was first published). I'd love to see a new edition that takes into account the developments (or lack thereof) of the last ten years. But the vast majority of the book still applies just fine. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any concern about humanity's future.

          5 out of 5 stars This needs to be required reading in schools.......2007-01-02

          Mining the sky is an encouraging answer to those who worry about overpopulation, global warming, and environmental degradation. It challenges us to expand our limited perspective and seek solutions to the worlds problems in unconventional places. Lewis very logically and reasonably explores the potential wealth of our solar system, and lays out a very feasable framework to follow in order to utilize the seeminly unlimmited resources in our backyard.

          5 out of 5 stars Makes One Think.......2006-01-01

          Mining the Sky is an excellent book for any person who has had any association with earthly mineral extraction and the potential for utilization of space-based resources on the Moon, Mars, and Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs). While the book is nearly a decade old, the primary message remains poignant and relevant even more so in the 21st Century. It is my hope that the author will do a second edition in the near future. With recent robotic missions to the Moon, Mars, asteroids and comets having taken place since the book was first published, I am certain that there is even much more to now be said about the economics of space-based mineral commerce.
          Discover Space Rocks (Kids Can Read)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Discover Space Rocks (Kids Can Read)
            Cynthia Nicolson
            Manufacturer: Kids Can Press, Ltd.
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

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            ASIN: 1553379012

            Book Description

            A simple but informative look at comets, asteroids and meteorites, and what they can tell us about our place in the solar system.

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            1. Compact Cities: Sustainable Urban Forms for Developing Countries (Compact City)
            2. Compact Stellar X-ray Sources (Cambridge Astrophysics)
            3. Constructing a Poetic Universe: The Diane and Bruce Halle Collection of Latin American Art
            4. Cosmic Rays and Particle Physics
            5. Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
            6. Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
            7. Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan
            8. Discovering the Essential Universe
            9. Earth: Portrait of a Planet
            10. Einstein: His Life and Universe

            Books Index

            Books Home

            Recommended Books

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