I am getting quite a few messages on Twitter (what? You don’t follow me on Twitter?) and Facebook from folks who got my book for the holidays. To save myself time — I’m too full of cookies and chocolate to do much by way of anything useful today — I’ll say here: enjoy! I don’t know if reading about a gamma-ray burst sterilizing half the planet in under three seconds is a good tribute to Peace on Earth, but who am I to argue with people with such extraordinary taste in holiday gifts?
About Bad Astronomy
If you went to BadAstronomy.com and found yourself here, never fear: the BA Blog has moved to its new home at Discover Blogs. The original BA site (with the Moon Hoax debunking and all that) is still online, too.
Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy, is an astronomer, lecturer, and author. After ten years working on Hubble Space Telescope and six more working on astronomy education, he struck out on his own as a writer. He has written two books, dozens of magazine articles, and 12 bazillion blog articles. He is a skeptic, and fights misuses of science as well as praising the wonder of real science.
Contact me: The Bad Astronomer "at" gmail "dot" com
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Death from the Skies!
Order a copy of Death from the Skies! from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Borders.
"If things worked the way I wanted them to, any reporter about to do another 'sensational' story on deadly meteors would consult this volume, and bang! common sense would find its way into the news. How strange would that world be?"
-- Adam Savage, Mythbusters"Reading this book is like getting punched in the face by Carl Sagan. Frightening, but oddly exhilarating."
-- Daniel H. Wilson, author of How to Survive a Robot UprisingSocial/Networking/Cool Stuff
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December 25th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
M.Sto gave both books to The Grizz (my Dad, who is an amateur astronomer) as a gift. I then demonstrated who you are via our Comic-Con video update! You are so famous in our living room.
December 25th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Ha ha!
I think you’re just LAZY!! Well… I suppose you deserve it.
Thanks for creating it so I could get it!
December 25th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I gave DftS to my son for Christmas, and he was thrilled. I’m totally swiping it as soon as he’s done.
Happy holiday, Dr. BA.
December 25th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Got my 14-year-old son “Death from the Skies” for Christmas, after his incessant questions about “What would happen if an asteroid hit the earth?” and “But what if it hit Mt. Everest?” and “Why wouldn’t a nuclear bomb just blow it up?” If figured Phil could explain it better. Plus. I get to read (and review) it myself when he’s done.
Win-win.
December 25th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Phil Plait: “I am getting quite a few messages on Twitter (what? You don’t follow me on Twitter?)…”
Like…er… I Digg, man, but I don’t “Twitter”.
December 25th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Ha ha… that was actually my Facebook status last night and this morning (reading about GRBs)
December 25th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
“I don’t know if reading about a gamma-ray burst sterilizing half the planet in under three seconds is a good tribute to Peace on Earth,…”
On the other hand a gamma ray burst would probably lead to more peace on earth….
December 25th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I think Daniel has a point…
December 25th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
“On the other hand a gamma ray burst would probably lead to more peace on earth…”
Or pieces of earth…
Yup, I got DFTS for xmas too. So far so good! While Patrick Stewart was busy shouting “Humbug, Number One!” (or something like that) on TV today, I was reading poor Mark’s story of being obliterated by an asteroid strike. What more could anyone ask for…?
December 25th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
I got a copy from JREF. Technically, it was a gift from my sons although they had no clue I got it. Oh, and thanks for signing it, Dr. Plait.
December 25th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I was one of ‘em on facebook, loved the book!
December 25th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I got my brother the book! Hopefully he will read it soon, or I will wrestle it from his grip and run…
December 25th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Thank you, amazon wish list! I got a whole stack of books, and Death is first in line for reading. Although, you’re having to compete for time with the Mythbusters “Big Blasts” DVD.
December 26th, 2008 at 4:54 am
I got my copy for Christmas
It’s on the priority list on top to read – once I finished the book I read by now.
December 26th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Got it from my brother-in-law, can’t wait to read it!
December 26th, 2008 at 11:06 am
My roommate (who has now moved up to the “best roommate ever” status) got it for me for Christmas! I’m loving it so much already!
December 26th, 2008 at 11:21 am
I got it for Christmas. I only read the first page, but it’s pretty awesome!
December 26th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
My wife got it for me! It’s my favorite present this year–I stayed up till 2 AM reading it!
December 26th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Hey, Phil, knowing how huge a ‘Dr. Who’ fan you are, I thought you’d love this:
http://flickr.com/photos/chick_contender/3116732665/
December 26th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Hey, Phil I just got it today. My sister-in-law, who lives in Boulder contacted you for the sticker for the cover. Thank you so much for the pseudo signed book.