Examines the causes and effects of both natural and man-made disasters, including volcanoes, earthquakes, ice storms, nuclear accidents, famine, oil spills, fires, and a possible future breakdown of technology.

Includes glossary and index.

Natural disasters -- Krakatau -- Vesuvius -- Tokyo earthquake -- Tsunami -- Ice storm -- Twister -- Bushfire -- Epidemic -- Locust -- Living on the edge -- Man-made disasters -- Famine -- Chernobyl -- Bridge on fire -- Runaway collision - - Titanic -- Oil spill -- Smog -- Landslide -- Wall Street crash -- Future disasters -- Getting hotter -- World under water -- Medical threats -- Crowded planet -- San Francisco earthquake -- Meteorite!