Nature on the Rampage - Our Violent Earth by National Geographic Society *VINTAGE 1986 HARDCOVER ONLY 1 AVAILABLE*
Vintage 1986 Hardcover, 200 pages, has minor shelfwear and discoloration, inside pages are perfect
Through the ages, humankind has sought to comprehend the natural scourges so vividly depicted in this book - earthquakes and volcanic upheavals, droughts and floods, hurricanes and tornadoes, biological outbreaks ranging from locust plagues to epidemic diseases. The Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder, who died in the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79, saw such "conflagrations" as "a punishment inflicted upon us for our luxury". Today, though, scientists have puzzled out many of the mechanisms behind nature's awesome powers.
But even as our ability to explain and forecast nature's rampages increases, our vulnerability to them remains a humbling reality. For example, the effects of prolonged drought still rack parts of Africa, and malaria continues to afflict millions in the tropics. In one case, research focuses on global weather patters; in the other, on the microscopic realm of parasites.
From disaster areas to high-tech laboratories, from ancient times to the present, Nature on the Rampage takes us on a gripping journey, sometimes terrifying but always illuminating. Through incisive text and more than 130 memorable illustrations, it examines nature's violent moods - and worldwide efforts to prevent natural hazards from becoming catarophes.
This richly illustrated hardcover book is part of a series featuring the best of the best content from National Geographic. A compilation of hundreds of color photographs, well-researched stories and documentaries about the varied wonders of our world. Additional National Geographic titles from this series are here
