Twister: The Science of Tornadoes and the Making of a Natural Disaster Movie

Award-winning science writer takes you where only the bravest souls have ventured, and survived – into the frightening path of these violent twisters. He also gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Warner Bros. film from the creators of Jurassic Park and the director of Speed. In collaboration with the makers of the film, Davidson explores the many challenges faced by the producers, the stars, the director and the special effects experts who re-created this wild, mysterious experience. Through fascinating interviews, you’ll come to understand just how these incredible storms came to life on the big screen. Of all the atmospheric storms, tornadoes are the fiercest, concentrating as much energy into a small space and time as numerous atomic-bomb blasts, and posing grave danger to the scientists who study this incredible phenomenon. Swirling at speeds of up to three hundred miles per hour and spewing debris as far as two hundred files away, a writhing tornado leaves behind a trail of tragedy: lives are ruined, families are wiped out, and entire towns are erased from the face of the Earth. Enhanced with spectacular close-up photographs and easy-to-grasp graphics, TWISTER offers an enthralling profile of these powerful storms, including an in-depth look at the leading tornado-monitoring project, VORTEX. You’ll discover a fascinating world of science and mystery, where storm chasers risk their lives for their work. And you’ll hear from those who have experienced close encounters with tornadoes as they tell their unforgettable stories. Embark on a journey filled with terror, grief, triumph, and hope — hope that scientists will soon be able to reliably predict, and in the distant future control, nature’s most devastating force: tornadoes.