Perilous Planet Earth: Catastrophes and Catastrophism Through the AgesReviewing our present concerns about the threat from natural disasters, such as asteroids and immense volcanic eruptions, within the context of history, this volume is written at a level that interests academics as well as general readers. It explains how catastrophic events have influenced the course of evolution in the distant past, and the rise and fall of civilizations in more recent times. Trevor Palmer argues that a better understanding of the