Katrina was not a natural disaster but an engineering one, says the journalist and author. He chooses the best books on Hurricane Katrina, ranging from a novel to a geographical biography of New Orleans.

The historian explains how the power of technology has affected man’s relationship with the rest of nature, and tells us what determines why some civilisations succeed and others fail

One of the Natural History Museum’s experts in meteoritics, Dr Caroline Smith says the meteorites that land on earth predate our planet by about 150 million years and it’s not surprising that they land here

Disaster reconstruction and climate change expert, Khurshid Alam, talks through five illuminating books on natural disasters and outlines some of the key political issues relating to disaster management.

The respected author and veteran journalist gives illuminating interview on volcanic eruptions. Discusses wonderful literary works from authors including Jules Vernes, Edward Lytton and Paddy Leigh Fermor

From 2001 to 2003, Cassie Knight lived and worked in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, managing a humanitarian aid program after the 1999 civil war. Here, she recommends books on aid work, and its realities as well as inspiring books about it.