Description

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 Halleys 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 Halleys 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 peoplefrom outright hucksters to opportunistic journalistsharness fear to produce a profit