An engaging account of natural catastrophes and oddities as well as man-made accidents. With vivid first-hand accounts and lucid commentary, the authors offer scientific explanations for these events. Blending contemporary accounts with accessible scientific explanation, the authors recall some of the great events of environmental history: earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, floods and ice ages, meteors and comets, extinctions and plagues, smogs and deforestations. Proving that climatic change is nothing new, these cautionary tales will fascinate anyone concerned with the future of our planet.