End-of-the-world panic is not just a historical phenomenon, nor is belief in Armageddon limited to the so-called backward or under- developed nations of today's world. There are now in the United States almost as many prophets of imminent doom as could ever be found in the cities of medieval Europe or the villages of modern India or Indonesia. The fear-and more often the hope that the world will come to a quick and violent end is still very much with us today.

Waiting for the Apocalypse is a completely updated and revised edition of How the World Will End (1973). Daniel Cohen probes the fascinating possibilities for the earth's eventual termination. He describes the differing visions of the end of the world seen by a variety of religious prophets and considers the many natural causes that have been the focus of scientists' concern: exploding stars, our expanding sun, tidal waves, earthquakes, volcanoes, meteorites, and other catastrophes that may demolish the world in cata- clysmic destruction. In addition, the author defines the time scale of the future evolution of our world from a scientific perspective.

Waiting for the Apocalypse is an entertaining and informative book for the curious reader, copiously illustrated with drawings and photographs.