The Last Extinction

""Gerta Keller . . . is rattling the foundations. And the theory she supports . . . has unleashed a small tempest of its own among die-hard believers in the meteor theory, who are known as 'impacters.' . . . Keller argues that, besides a series of meteor impacts, the extinction of the dinosaurs was preceded by an intense period of volcanic eruptions that altered the climate. . . . All this makes her a maverick."" –The New York Times ""Scathing and illuminating. . . . [M]uch of the scientific community and the popular press accepted the idea that a meteor colliding with the Earth was responsible for the planet’s fifth mass extinction. Keller, however, had her doubts, and worked tirelessly to gather data. . . . Her results are shocking.""  –Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW ""With a remarkable eye for dramatic detail, the text offers a conference-by-conference record of the fierce, often malicious, opposition that Keller's model faced from some of the world's most trusted scientific institutions."" —Foreword Reviews ""A Princeton geologist has endured decades of ridicule for arguing that the fifth extinction was caused not by an asteroid, but by a series of colossal volcanic eruptions. But she's reopened that debate. . . . This dispute illuminates the messy way that science progresses and how this idealized process, ostensibly guided by objective reason and the search for truth, is shaped by ego, power, and politics."" –The Atlantic “A fascinating look at the process of researching scientific questions and the power of entrenched theory; Keller was often belittled and blocked from sharing her discoveries. She perseveres in this compelling tale, of interest to readers who enjoy books about scientific study, mass extinction theories, and the work and struggles of women scientists.” –Library Journal