Finalist for the 2025 NASW Science in Society Journalism Award One of Smithsonian Magazine 's Ten Best Science Books of 2024 A Science News Favorite Book of 2024 A gripping account of the "city-killer" asteroids that could threaten Earth and the race to build a planetary defense system. There are approximately 25,000 “city killer” asteroids in near-Earth orbit―and most are yet to be found. Small enough to evade detection, they are capable of large-scale destruction, and represent our greatest cosmic threat. But in September 2022, against all odds, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission deliberately crashed a spacecraft into a carefully selected city killer, altering the asteroid’s orbit and proving that we stand a chance against them. In How to Kill an Asteroid , award-winning science journalist Robin George Andrews―who was at DART mission control when it happened―reveals the development of the technology that made it possible, from spotting elusive asteroids and comets to figuring out their geologic defenses and orchestrating a deflection campaign. In a propulsive narrative that reads like a sci-fi thriller, Andrews tells the story of the planetary defense movement, and introduces the international team of scientists and engineers now working to protect Earth. 26 illustrations "Acclaimed science journalist Robin George Andrews offers a sometimes scary, often humorous and always erudite account of the people and projects striving to safeguard Earth from space rocks and help humanity avoid the dinosaurs’ dismal fate." ― Lee Billings, Scientific American "This vividly written book reads as much like a thriller as the film plots it is trying to correct … Andrews’s dexterity in explaining complicated concepts, including how to knock asteroids off-orbit, makes this book well worth picking up, but that verbal vivacity is matched by deep reporting … You will finish the book as informed as you are entertained." ― Chris Stokel-Walker, New Scientist "A deep dive into the extremely badass business of thwarting a destructive asteroid … [Andrews’s] thorough research brings readers all over the world and across time." ― Shi En Kim, Science News "Robin Andrews offers a rare personal look at the development of the mission, the team that made it happen, and what it was like to be inside the mission control room when the asteroid got smacked. The book leans into the sci-fi fantasy aspect of the mission, detailing all the cool science while still delivering drama, humor, and a great group of characters." ― Passant Rabie, Gizmodo "[E]ngrossing. As Andrews moves on from the hypothetical and into reality―the history and the science that the book is all about―he keeps it interesting with a conversational writing style that makes even the jargon feel readable." ― Cheyenne Macdonald, Engadget "[A] wonderful book…Andrews is a marvellous and witty storyteller…This is a scientific page-turner that builds up to a great climax and is written in an accessible and entertaining style, yet chockful of serious information. A direct hit, I’d say." ― Govert Schilling, BBC Sky at Night Magazine "There is much here that will fascinate any space enthusiast." ― Andrew Crumey, Literary Review "Deeply researched and tenaciously reported, How to Kill an Asteroid is a detailed inside look at some of the most important recent undertakings in the history of space science…Robin George Andrews is a spirited, erudite, and humorous guide." ― Ferris Jabr, author of Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life " How to Kill an Asteroid is a testament to humanity’s ingenuity in the face of cosmic danger, and you will not find a more enthusiastic and skilled planetary guide than Robin George Andrews. With riveting detail and cinematic flair, the book catapults readers into a reality that feels like science fiction." ― Kristy Hamilton, science journalist and award-winning author of Nature’s Wild Ideas "If we’re going to avoid the fate of the dinosaurs, we need to be looking toward the sky. Robin George Andrews vividly explains how we may do just that, drawing from decades of discovery and invention to think through how we might accomplish the seemingly impossible task of pushing back against an asteroid with Earth’s name on it." ― Riley Black, author of The Last Days of the Dinosaurs and When the Earth Was Green "A captivating report on efforts to mitigate the worst existential risk that humanity faces…A must read for space geeks and long-term-survival aficionados." ― Avi Loeb, New York Times best-selling author of Extraterrestrial and Interstellar "A page-turner of a cosmic mystery about one of the most important subjects facing humanity―planetary defense from killer asteroids. Robin George Andrews is the perfect storyteller, making NASA science accessible for everyone." ― Col. Terry Virts, author of How to Astronaut and View from Above "Brilliantly captures the urgency and compl