The Day It Finally Happens

September 1, 2019
We live in an uncertain world, one in which the future seems both grim and unpredictable. Pearl, author of VICE's How Scared Should I Be column, lays out the reality behind some of the changes the upcoming centuries may bring, from the casually intriguing ( Will doping be allowed at the Olympics? ) to the downright terrifying ( Will antibiotics stop working? ). Each chapter explores one potential future, breaking down the reasons it might happen, examining the factors that would lead to such an outcome, and exploring its ramifications. This book is full of surprises, good and bad. For instance, it would be harder than readers probably imagine to wipe out humanity in a nuclear war, one of the scariest futures Pearl examines; but the apparent success story in which the world weans itself from oil as an energy source turns out to carry significant human costs for the people of Saudi Arabia. With a wry, conversational, and matter-of-fact style, Pearl delves into the practicalities of potential futures and reassures readers that?one way or another?humankind can survive.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)