{"product_id":"target-earth-isbn-9780262551342","title":"Target Earth","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn acclaimed science writer tells the story of cosmic projectiles that may be on a collision course with our Earth.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe impact of an asteroid led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Could another giant cosmic missile soon be heading our way? In \u003ci\u003eTarget Earth,\u003c\/i\u003e acclaimed Dutch astronomy writer Govert Schilling provides a full account of what we know, and need to know, about all the extraterrestrial matter constantly bombarding our planet—from microscopic dust particles and space debris to massive meteorites, comets, and asteroids.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDrawing on the latest scientific discoveries, Schilling explores virtually every aspect of cosmic impacts—from small meteorites to devastating collisions, from the craters that mark our planet’s surface to the impacts that left their mark on other celestial bodies, and from searches for near-miss lumps of rock to ways of protecting humanity from an assault from the cosmos. Along the way, he considers near misses in the past and the possibility of others in the future and ponders the positive side of these visitations from space: If our planet had not been the target of cosmic rubble from its very formation, life on Earth would likely never have gotten started.Introduction\u003cbr\u003e1 Falling Debris\u003cbr\u003e2 Names and Numbers\u003cbr\u003e3 Cosmic Scars\u003cbr\u003e4 Death of the Dinosaurs\u003cbr\u003e5 Extraterrestrial Impacts\u003cbr\u003e6 Near Misses\u003cbr\u003e7 The Hunting Season Is Open\u003cbr\u003e8 Defending the Planet\u003cbr\u003e9 Rendezvous with the Aggressor\u003cbr\u003e10 The Flip Side\u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003cbr\u003eMore Reading Material“Can we do better than the dinosaurs and prevent a giant impact by a rock from the sky? A captivating read!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Avi Loeb, Director of Harvard’s Institute for Theory and Computation; best-selling author of \u003ci\u003eExtraterrestrial\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eInterstellar\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Veteran science writer Govert Schilling takes us on a fascinating and terrifying tour of our solar neighborhood, pointing out the many celestial objects that could alter the course of civilization (and have already forged our evolution). His gripping narrative keeps you on the edge of your seat.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Marcia Bartusiak, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Day We Found the Universe\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eBlack Hole\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Govert Schilling is an enthusiastic guide to the hail of rocks left over from the forging of the planets. Most of the universe is very distant, but he shows that sometimes it gets too close for comfort!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Robert P. Kirshner, Executive Director, TMT International Observatory; author of \u003ci\u003eThe Extravagant Universe\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eGovert Schilling is the author of dozens of popular astronomy books, including \u003ci\u003eThe Elephant in the Universe\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eRipples in Spacetime\u003c\/i\u003e. His writing has received numerous awards, including the David N. Schramm Award from the American Astronomical Society. In 2007 the International Astronomical Union named the asteroid 10986 Govert in his honor.","brand":"The MIT Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46303618760933,"sku":"NP9780262551342","price":21.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780262551342.jpg?v=1767737800","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/target-earth-isbn-9780262551342","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}