Overview
- Reviews the physical conditions for survival of life on Earth over the next 1000 centuries
- Analyses the interacting factors affecting the sustainability of Earth’s natural resources
- Stresses the need for active management of Earth's resources in the 21st century to ensure long-term survival
- Highlights the influence of observations from space on the technical, scientific and political tools for survivability
Part of the book series: Springer Praxis Books (PRAXIS)
Part of the book sub series: Popular Science (POPS)
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Table of contents (12 chapters)
Keywords
About this book
The circumstances that will shape the long-term future of our planet will be constrained by what is physically possible and what is not. This full color book provides a quantitative view of our civilization over the next 100,000 years, in comparison to the 40-60,000 years it took for modern humans to emerge from Africa, on the basis of contemporary scientific and technological knowledge. The evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere and the origin of water are highlighted as the most important factors for the emergence and the development of life.
The authors consider both cosmic and natural hazards, pointing out that scientific information provided by satellites and communication systems on the ground could prevent many unnecessary casualties by forward planning and the installation of elementary precautions. The Earth’s evolving climate is considered, showing how greenhouse gases have played an important role in the past climate, whereas human industrial and agricultural emissions will greatly impact our future.
Reviews
From the reviews:
"A good initial feeling for the thesis of the book can be obtained simply by reading the … chapters. … the authors turn to threats to survival from outside (from nearby supernovae to asteroid impact) and from inside (disease, seismic events, and climatic hazards), before turning to the current burning issue of climate change, both past and future. … This is a fascinating and challenging book which is published at just the right moment. It should be required reading for all politicians … ." (Robert Connon Smith, The Observatory, Vol. 129 (1210), June, 2009)
Authors and Affiliations
About the authors
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Surviving 1000 Centuries
Book Subtitle: Can We Do It?
Authors: Roger-Maurice Bonnet, Lodewijk Woltjer
Series Title: Springer Praxis Books
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-74635-7
Publisher: Praxis New York, NY
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental Science, Earth and Environmental Science (R0)
Copyright Information: Praxis 2008
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-387-74633-3Published: 10 September 2008
eBook ISBN: 978-0-387-74635-7Published: 02 April 2010
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XXVI, 422
Additional Information: Jointly published with Praxis Publishing
Topics: Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Popular Science in Astronomy, Climate Change, Renewable and Green Energy