h the genetic wasteland of central Iowa, to the drowned land bridge of the Bering Sea, the author of House of Rain uncovers the cataclysms that tell us what could be next--and the undeniable science that reveals both the earth's strengths and frailties.

"A fascinating travelog of an excitable, seething and perilous planet." --Science News

Ours is not a stable planet. It is prone to sudden, violent natural disasters and extremes of climate. In this exhilarating exploration of our globe, Craig Childs goes to where the apocalypse can be seen now and reveals what could be next: forthcoming ice ages, super volcanoes, and the conclusion of planetary life cycles. Childs delivers a sensual feast in his descriptions of the natural world. Bearing witness to the planet's sweeping and perilous changes, he shows how we can alter the future, and how the world will live on, though humans may not survive to see it.