Cosmic Connection: How Astronomical Events Impact Life on Earth [Hardcover]

"[This] fascinating book provides a timely reminder that while we go about our daily affairs worrying about things like what's happening at work or the price of fuel, we are forever at the mercy of a capricious universe that may have something far worse in store for us." --New Scientist December 6, 2008 issue "The Cosmic Connection is a fascinating and approachable look at our cosmos, taking readers on a wide-ranging journey and showing how we are intimately linked to the rest of the universe. Kanipe raises intriguing questions, and describes in jargon-free prose the truly 'big-picture view' of how life on Earth and perhaps life on other worlds, relates to the stars. The narrative style is eloquent and at times droll, but always well paced and fact filled. The book will fascinate and inform everyone who has an interest in astronomy, the evolution of our planet, and the future of humankind." -- SirReadaLot.org, February 2009 "If you acquire his book, and I urge you to do so, you will find more information on the theme. Trust Mr. Kanipe, he knows what he is doing." -- The Space Guy, Astronomy Briefly, February 2009 "In clear, concise language, Kanipe shows how life on our little planet owes an enormous debt of gratitude to a host of small but critical cosmic events that determined the entire course of evolution. This kind of interconnectedness makes for fascinating reading and a renewed appreciation for our moon, earth's axis and the role comets and asteroids played in hitting the reset button." -- Monsters and Critics.com, February 20, 2009 "Kanipe, a noted science writer, uses clear and simple terminology to explain how the axis of the Earth affects our climate, how supernovas may have caused mass extinctions of species and fomented genetic mutations and how inconsistencies in solar activity impact our daily lives." -- SciTech Book News, March 2009 "[It] provides a powerful survey of the cosmos, offering connections between events affecting the universe and those affecting mankind. It's intended for the general reader so general-interest libraries will find it provocative, exploring different astronomical events and how they have affected life on Earth." -- California Bookwatch, The Midwest Book Review, March 2009 "Kanipe has written a thoughtful and interesting volume. The writing style is engaging and keeps the reader's interest without having to resort to a sensationalist approach. In all cases, the quality of the science is excellent and the result is a definitive examination of the impact of the cosmos on us that is easily accessible to the non-expert. It also holds much of interest to those of us who like to think we know something about the subject. I found this book a thoroughly enjoyable read. It should be required reading for all prospective science-documentary producers - but then maybe their programs would not make it onto our screens." -- The Observatory, Vol. 129, No. 1209, April 2009 "With a combination of large print, readable style, and a relatively unique content, The Cosmic Connection will make a quick and entertaining read for general readers. Highly recommended. All audiences." -- Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, July 2009 "Split into chapters that focus on volcanic and seismic activity on the planet, the sun, and what space is throwing at us, Kanipe provides plenty of details and diagrams. The Cosmic Connection is nevertheless an interesting history lesson on what catastrophic events that would've wiped out our species in a second have taken place in our past." -- The Sacramento Book Review, April 26, 2009

Jeff Kanipe (Derwood, MD), a respected science writer and editor, is the author of Chasing Hubble's Shadow, The Arp Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, and A Skywatcher's Year, among other works. Formerly, he was the managing editor of Astronomy magazine, the editor-in-chief of StarDate magazine, and a columnist and feature writer for space.com.