What do a crashing plane, a collapsing city, and a self-aware machine have in common? They all represent moments when systems—natural, technological, or human—fail, adapt, or evolve. Engines, Earthquakes, and the Algorithm dives into three gripping realms where control is always temporary, and survival depends on how well we understand the forces shaping our world.

From artificial intelligence redrawing the lines of power, to seismic disasters triggering global shifts in diplomacy and defense, to the sobering truths behind aviation safety—this collection reveals what happens when theory meets impact. It explores how governments respond under pressure, how technology both rescues and risks human lives, and how disaster can reset the course of history.

Yet beyond policy, power, or probability, a deeper thread connects each page: our instinct to question what we’re told, and to prepare for what’s coming. Whether it’s decoding propaganda during disaster relief, confronting ethical dilemmas in AI warfare, or making life-saving decisions in midair, these stories converge on a single truth—resilience isn’t built in comfort zones.

Through gripping insights, clear-eyed research, and emotionally grounded storytelling, this volume illuminates what most miss: the silent turning points where society’s next leap—or collapse—quietly begins.

When everything seems under control, what fault lines are we failing to see?

Clara E. Marlowe

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