A popular exposition of the hypotheses that the extinction of the dinosaurs was due to a meteor or comet impact, from one of the scientists who devised it — a not-to-be-missed classic. The reviewer for Scientific American praised it as "Engaging and witty. Read Alvarez for an excellent account of how scientists pose questions and seek to solve them," and Timothy Ferris described it as "a clear and efficient exposition that conveys plenty of cogent detail while keeping an eye on the subtle interplay of thought, action and personality that makes scientific research such arresting human behavior."