The UK paperback publishers, Vintage, have run a fun billboard campaign to celebrate the paperback publication of The Knowledge. Some of the posters contain their own red emergency box containing a copy of the book, in case of emergency!
If you’d like to see one of the posters for yourself, here’s a map of the billboard locations:
Want to read more about the behind-the-scenes fundamentals of how our modern world works, and how you could reboot civilisation if you ever needed to...? Check out The Knowledge - available now in paperback, Kindle and audiobook.
The book is published today in Spanish. Abrir en caso de Apocalipsis: Guía rápida para reconstruir la civilización (Open in Case of Apocalypse: Quick-start guide for rebuilding civilisation) is available on Amazon.es or local bookshops.
Una pandemia incontrolable, el impacto de un meteorito, o quizá una guerra nuclear; por el motivo que sea, el mundo que conocemos ha desaparecido y los escasos supervivientes deben comenzar de cero. ¿Cuáles son los conocimientos fundamentales necesarios para reconstruir nuestra civilización? Tras recoger lo poco lo poco que queda, ¿cómo se puede empezar a producir lo esencial? ¿Cómo cultivar alimentos, generar electricidad, preparar medicinas o extraer metal de las rocas? ¿Se puede evitar una nueva edad oscura y aprovechar los atajos para conseguir de nuevo el desarrollo? La vida en las sociedades contemporáneas nos han desconectado de los procesos básicos que nos sostienen, así como de las elegantes premisas científicas que permiten aprender las cosas por uno mismo. “Abrir en caso de apocalipsis” es un viaje de exploración, un libro que explica todo lo que hay que saber acerca de todo lo que nos rodea. Una guía rápida para reiniciar la civilización que transformará nuestra comprensión del mundo, y nos ayudará cuando este ya no exista.
“Un maravilloso compendio de los conocimientos que hemos olvidado. El libro más inspirador que he leído en mucho tiempo”. (Peter Forbes, Independent)
“Un libro extraordinario, una lectura estupenda incluso si la civilización no desaparece. Si lo hace, será la biblia del nuevo mundo, y Dartnell su profeta”. (The Times)
“Una mirada fascinante a los principios básicos de las principales tecnologías que sostienen la sociedad contemporánea” Wall Street Journal
“Una fascinante historia de la ciencia y la tecnología” (Steven Poole, The Guardian)
Article in El País newspaper: “Hemos perdido gran parte de nuestra capacidad para sobrevivir”
Want to read more about the behind-the-scenes fundamentals of how our modern world works, and how you could reboot civilisation if you ever needed to...? Check out The Knowledge - available now in paperback, Kindle and audiobook.
The Knowledge is now out in UK paperback! I’m currently away on book tour around Canada and the US, but very excited to see it out. Vintage have gone with a very similar cover design to the original hardback (and also watch the making of the smashed emergency box as an animated gif) and I love the bold colours and the elegance of graphical concept.
Lighter and more portable than the hardback, the paperback edition is perfect for all your civilisation-rebooting needs. But probably best you buy two copies, just in case…
Want to read more about the behind-the-scenes fundamentals of how our modern world works, and how you could reboot civilisation if you ever needed to...? Check out The Knowledge - available now in paperback, Kindle and audiobook.
The Global Challenges Foundation has released its new report about global hazards that for all practical purposes can be considered to represent an infinite impact – the global collapse of civilisation, if not even driving humanity to extinction. ’12 Risks That Threaten Human Civilisation’ offers a review of the key possible events, and ties to roughly quantify the probabilities of each.
The 12 global risks threatening human civilisation that the report discussed are:
Current risks
1. Extreme Climate Change
2. Nuclear War
3. Ecological Catastrophe
4. Global Pandemic
5. Global System Collapse
Exogenic risks
6. Major Asteroid Impact
7. Supervolcano
Emerging risks
8. Synthetic Biology
9. Nanotechnology
10. Artificial Intelligence
11. Uncertain Risks
Global policy risk
12. Future Bad Global Governance
Want to read more about the behind-the-scenes fundamentals of how our modern world works, and how you could reboot civilisation if you ever needed to...? Check out The Knowledge - available now in paperback, Kindle and audiobook.
Microbe Talk, the podcast from the Society for General Microbiology, has a fascinating discussion this month. Phrased as a wide-open thought experiment akin to The Knowledge, the host Ben Thompson talks to Dr Jack Gilbert and Dr Josh Neufeld about whether we would survive in a world without microbes.
Imagine waking up tomorrow morning to find out that every bacterium and every archeon on the planet had suddenly vanished. What would happen? Could humanity survive?
Jack and Josh have recently published an academic research paper in PLOS Biology on exactly this topic, Life in a World without Microbes. They explore all the ways that microbes are used by humanity, ranging from producing yoghurt and beer, to their involvement in key agricultural and industrial processes, but also how vital microbes are to the ecosystems of planet Earth as a whole.
Listen to this fascinating podcast
Want to read more about the behind-the-scenes fundamentals of how our modern world works, and how you could reboot civilisation if you ever needed to...? Check out The Knowledge - available now in paperback, Kindle and audiobook.
Humanity is incredibly resourceful, resilient and inventive, and time and time again comes up with ingenious solutions during times of hardship, or even just simple but effective fixes from everyday life. Here’s a gallery of my favourite examples of this incredible resourcefulness.
Want to read more about the behind-the-scenes fundamentals of how our modern world works, and how you could reboot civilisation if you ever needed to...? Check out The Knowledge - available now in paperback, Kindle and audiobook.
I have written a feature article for The Walking Dead magazine, about ‘What Comes After‘.
You’ve survived the zombie apocalypse, fallen in with a supportive group, and been able to clear-out a safe zone to begin settling down. Now what..? You can’t keep scavenging from the leftovers of the fallen civilisation for ever. What practical skills would be most useful, how can you apply a little scientific understanding to keep yourself and your group alive and healthy, and how could you go about rebuilding a capable society for yourself?
The magazine is OUT NOW in newsagents and online
Tying in with this article, The Walking Dead magazine is running a competition. Enter for your chance to win one of five signed copies of The Knowledge. Details on The Walking Dead Facebook page.
Want to read more about the behind-the-scenes fundamentals of how our modern world works, and how you could reboot civilisation if you ever needed to...? Check out The Knowledge - available now in paperback, Kindle and audiobook.
Artist Sean Mort has produced a humorous take on How the World Ends, along with the rest of the Solar System when the Sun goes rogue… The design is available as a screen print, 24×8 inches, from his website
Want to read more about the behind-the-scenes fundamentals of how our modern world works, and how you could reboot civilisation if you ever needed to...? Check out The Knowledge - available now in paperback, Kindle and audiobook.