Planet in Peril

‘The term ‘existential threat’ may be overused by those who explore global governance; but it undoubtedly describes climate change and pandemics, two of the four mega-dangers that preoccupy Michael Bess in Planet in Peril. It is hard to believe that international cooperation remains a tough sell in 2022. Imagine: global problems require global solutions! Bess spells out concrete, and hopefully doable, steps toward overcoming polarization and fragmentation. Let’s hope he’s right.’ Thomas G. Weiss, CUNY Graduate Center‘We are threatened by our own cleverness, and it is easy to get paranoid. This book, by one of our best historians of science and technology, offers a sane, balanced, and deeply informed look at the major threats and lays out a rational way forward.’ Donald Worster, author of Shrinking the Earth and A Passion for Nature‘In Planet in Peril, Michael Bess brings his singular voice, intellectual courage, and good judgment to bear on the four mega-dangers facing humankind – climate change, nuclear weapons, pandemics, and artificial intelligence. He avoids the simplistic thinking that characterizes too much of the public debate on these issues and offers insightful, viable solutions. It is one of those rare books that is both a joy to read and a roadmap for solving daunting problems.’ Michael Vandenbergh, Vanderbilt University‘Written in vivid prose and combining history, science, technology, and politics in reflection and analysis, Planet in Peril offers a single explanatory framework for understanding these seemingly disparate challenges, sketching a plausible roadmap toward a safer, more democratic future for us all.’ Josh Hamel, Chapter 16, a Publication of Humanities Tennessee

Michael Bess is Chancellor’s Professor of History at Vanderbilt University. He has been teaching award-winning courses on science, technology, environmentalism, and global catastrophic threats since 1989, and has written four other books on these topics. He has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and National Human Genome Research Institute.