Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction

author: Annalee Newitz

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.40

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2014/03/31

date added: 2014/03/31

shelves: non-fiction

review:

Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction tackles a very huge subject. It's a big ambitious subject. I'm not sure the entire subject can be covered adequately in a single 320 page book, but author Annalee Newitz gives it a good shot.



The book is about the history of mass extinctions on our planet over a 4.5 billion year history. There have been dust storms, ice, gas clouds and volcanoes that have attempted to eradicate life on earth. This is the setup for the book. Author Newitz is proposing how humanity could go about surviving the next mass extinction event. From underground cities to the Jewish diaspora, there are solutions that could work well. Covering biohazards and asteroid strikes, there are many potential hazards, but they are covered in a positive easygoing fashion. The book finishes with what our eventual move out into the stars might look like.



As stated, it's a huge subject and at times it feels a little glossed over, but it's a good jumping off point for further study. The work reminded me a bit of the work of Mary Roach, and that's a compliment. I like accessibly written science works and this one succeeds in that area quite well. I liked the book when it was all said and done.



I was given a review copy of this book by Netgalley and Doubleday Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this fascinating book.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1okdoO8