9781422275856

Ultimate Danger Ultimate Danger Ultimate

Chapter 1

Dangerous Natural Environments W herever you’re reading this right now, whether at school or at home, it’s likely that you’re inside. But did you realize that the whole idea of “being inside” had to be created? Our ancient ancestors invented the notion of “inside” about a million years ago, when they started taking shelter in caves. Ever since, humans have been developing increasingly sophisticated ways to protect themselves from the dangers of the outdoors. The next step was making rough tents from animal skins. The first houses were built in northern Africa around 10,000 years ago. And it’s a good thing, too, because as you’ll see in this chapter, there’s a whole lot of danger to be found outside. The desert sun can kill you with dehydration or burn you with UV radiation . The thin air of mountaintops can permanently damage your brain. The sea can drown you, while outer space can freeze or boil you. Some animals will eat you, others will poison you, others . . . you know what, let’s just stay in our own cave and read about these dangers, instead!

Dangerous Natural Environments

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