How to survive history

PLUS: More of WIRED's best longreads from this week.

View in browser  |  Your newsletter preferences  07.23.23 How to Survive History Devastating pandemics. Rapidly advancing AI. War in Europe. You might think we live in apocalyptic times, but a quick stroll through history will remind you that, despite our current challenges, we're actually pretty lucky. At least we now have the scientific and technological knowledge to stand a chance of surviving situations that for millennia meant certain death. That's exactly what writer Cody Cassidy explored in a series of pieces for WIRED, which eventually turned into his latest book, How to Survive History. With sharp wit and engaging storytelling, Cassidy revisits some of the most calamitous events in history to game out how you could make it out alive—if you knew where to go and what to do. Take San Francisco's devastating 1906 earthquake. Making it through the initial shake by choosing the right place to take shelter is just the beginning—you still have to deal with gas leaks, flooding, a cattle stampede, trigger-happy soldiers, and a four-day-long firestorm. Cassidy deploys science, physics, and the benefit of hindsight to guide you to the relative safety of San Francisco Bay. Or what if you were a member of the Donner Party, desperate to see the other side of winter? Let's just say Cassidy makes a strong case for cannibalism. And just imagine humans and dinosaurs coexisted, and you were being chased by a hungry Tyrannosaurus rex. You're not necessarily doomed to become dino-dinner, if you take advantage of the square-cube law (you know the square-cube law, right?). In the series, Cassidy applies the same survival-of-the-smartest approach to killer asteroids, terrible tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, and more. It's a cornucopia of catastrophe.—Jon J. Eilenberg | Articles Editor READ THE FULL STORY You Might Also Like The Case for Cannibalism, or: How to Survive the Donner Party BY CODY CASSIDY | 11-MINUTE READ Don't be a young, healthy, single man. That's our first piece of advice. How to Outrun a Dinosaur BY CODY CASSIDY | 9-MINUTE READ If, through some scientific malfunction, you found yourself transported 70 million years into the past, you might be safer from certain hungry reptiles than you think. ADVERTISEMENT How to Survive the Worst Tornado in US History BY CODY CASSIDY | 11-MINUTE READ It blew an entire town to pieces, flipping trains and flattening banks. But there's one place you might try to hide. How to Survive a Killer Asteroid BY CODY CASSIDY | 10-MINUTE READ The impact that wiped out the dinosaurs would probably have killed you too—unless you were in the exact right place and had made the exact right plans. How to Escape a Sinking Ship (Like, Say, the Titanic) BY CODY CASSIDY | 10-MINUTE READ First, put on your fanciest clothes. And at 1:15 am, consider heading down to Deck D. How to Escape From a Volcano Eruption BY CODY CASSIDY | 8-MINUTE READ If you had been in Pompeii in 79 AD, you might have tried to hunker down or escape by sea. This would be a mistake. But there is a way to safety. GET WIRED Get WIRED for just $29.99 $5. That includes subscriber-only content like Steven Levy's Plaintext column, plus free stickers! Subscribe now. ADVERTISEMENT Have questions or comments? Reply to this email.   This email was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our email address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or manage your newsletter subscriptions