The Falling Sky: The Science and History of Meteorites and Why We Should Learn to Love Them Book

Meteorites are the stuff of legend, interpreted both as omens of doom and objects of power. But it was only in the eighteenth century that the study of falling space debris became a science and began unlocking the mysteries of the universe.

Now new research suggests that the Earth was bombarded with meteorites 470 million years ago from an enormous collision in the Asteroid Belt, which orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter. And a revolutionary theory is emerging, stating that the bombardment resulted in the single greatest increase in biological diversity on the planet since the origin of life.

Introducing these discoveries to the general public for the first time, Ted Nield challenges the view that meteorite strikes are bad news for life on Earth. He argues, for example, that the infamous K-T extinction event that everyone thinks wiped out the dinosaurs isn't the whole picture, that the causes of the mass extinction were much more diverse and complex. By examining the history of meteorites, Nield shows how our interpretations of space matter have varied and how the impacts received fresh urgency with the advent of the atom bomb. Invoking a cast of fascinating characters alongside a wealth of extraordinary research, this is the perfect introduction to the science and history of the falling sky.