Comet Madness: How the 1910 Return of Halley's Comet (Almost) Destroyed Civilization
Richard J. Goodrich
Jun 2023 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Peter Lerman
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10 hr
Unabridged
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About this audiobook
Since the dawn of civilization, humans had believed comets were evil portents. In 1705, Edmond Halley liberated humanity from these primordial superstitions, proving that Newtonian mechanics rather than the will of the gods brought comets into our celestial neighborhood. Despite this scientific advance, when Halley's Comet returned in 1910, newspapers gleefully provoked a global hysteria that unfolded with tragic consequences. In Comet Madness, author and historian Richard J. Goodrich examines the 1910 appearance of Halley's Comet and the ensuing frenzy sparked by media manipulation, bogus science, and outright deception. As the comet neared Earth, scientists and journalists alike scrambled to get the story straight as citizens the world over panicked. As a result, workmen shelved their tools, farmers refused to plant crops they would never harvest, and formerly reliable people stopped paying their creditors. Others suffered mental breakdowns, and some took their own lives. Comet Madness reveals how humans confront the unknown, how scientists learn about the world we inhabit, and how certain people-from outright hucksters to opportunistic journalists-harness fear to produce a profit.
About the author
Richard J. Goodrich earned his PhD at St. Andrews and spent twenty years teaching ancient history in Britain and the United States. The author of six academic books, he now writes about early twentieth century history. Visit him at richardjgoodrich.com.
Peter Lerman is a narrator from the heart of New York City: Brooklyn born and raised. He has appeared onstage as Horace Vandergelder in Hello Dolly, Bobby Gould in Speed-the-Plow, the Governor of Texas in Best Little Whorehouse..., Jonathan Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace, and Lenny in Rumors.
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