Sir Vivian Fuchs (1908–1999)

Earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, droughts, avalanches . . . nature's most devastating forces live in man's imagination as the ultimate symbols of ferocity and terror. Less alarming but even more vital to the future of mankind are the long-term, insidious and fluctuating processes by which climates change, futile land dries up, ice-caps advance or seas rise. Sir Vivian Fuchs, former Director of the British Antarctic Survey and leader of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1955-58. heads a team of eleven distinguished scientists in this spectacularly illustrated book. Their contributions investigate the causes and manifestations of extreme natural phenomena, and consider their impact on man - how we have learnt to live with them, and to what extent we can cope with them, guard against them, even forecast them.
The great scientific advances of recent decades show that by the end of the century we may well be able to predict serious volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and major climatic changes with enough ‘Iead time' to prevent massive loss of life. But even if our growing knowledge does succeed in making it possible, are we wise enough to be trusted? Triggering an earthquake to save one city could bring disaster to another. Even inducing rain to benefit one region means depriving another. it may well be wiser to accept the broad interplay Of natural forces. always learning better how to use them, or to protect ourselves from them — or to live with them. (Takakansi)… (meer)