An asteroid to be seen by an average person with binoculars will fly close enough to Earth on Monday, January 26, opens a new window. Scientists say that although relatively close, it will be far enough away to pose no threat.
I think we should take a moment to contemplate some titles in which the following fictional scientists said the same thing, but were wrong. I'm not saying our real-life scientists are wrong, but I just think it is as good an excuse as any to enjoy some end-of-the-world entertainment.
Susan Beth Pfeffer's Last Survivors Series follows the lives of two families through four books. In the first book, Life as We Knew It, a passing asteroid knocks the moon into a closer orbit around the Earth. Each subsequent book follows the survivors as they deal with the changes in the tide, weather, disease and lack of food in their struggling and changing society.
Virginia Bergin gives a new twist on this genre in her book H2O. In Ruby's world, the asteroid is old news. The scientist knew it was coming and dealt with it appropriately and efficiently. What they didn't anticipate was what would happen once the debris reached the Earth. In a world where most of the people Ruby knew are dead, she still takes the time to look hot, just in case. If you want your protagonist to not let a little thing like the end of the world get in the way of their appearance, then this book is for you.
Sure, Melancholia is about a planet, not an asteroid, colliding with the Earth. Yet, with a cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Alexander Skarsgard and Kiefer Sutherland, it's hard not to include! This is an artsy film for people who enjoy family drama with a side of planetary destruction.
I hope fellow disaster enthusiasts are able to find something here to enjoy, and if you are unable to finish before Monday, I hope we're all still here on Tuesday.
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