“A powerfully argued book that alerts us to what is perhaps the most important — and yet also most neglected — problem we will ever face”

— PETER SINGER   

Humanity stands at a precipice.

Our species could survive for millions of generations — enough time to end disease, poverty, and injustice; to reach new heights of flourishing. But this vast future is at risk. With the advent of nuclear weapons, humanity entered a new age, gaining the power to destroy ourselves, without the wisdom to ensure we won’t. Since then, these dangers have only multiplied, from climate change to engineered pandemics and unaligned artificial intelligence. If we do not act fast to reach a place of safety, it may soon be too late.

The Precipice explores the science behind the risks we face. It puts them in the context of the greater story of humanity: showing how ending these risks is among the most pressing moral issues of our time. And it points toward longtermism — to the actions and strategies we can take today to safeguard humanity’s long-run future.

What People are Saying

“a book that seems made for the present moment … readers may find the sections that argue for why humanity deserves saving, and why we’re equipped to face the challenges, even more arresting than the array of potential cataclysms”

— NEW YORKER

“Splendid …The Precipice is a powerful book, written with a philosopher's eye … Ord's love for humanity and hope for its future is infectious”

— SPECTATOR

“Many people have recently found that they want to read books offering the grandest perspectives possible on human existence, such as Sapiens … Toby Ord's new book is a startling and rigorous contribution to this genre that deserves to be just as widely read”

— EVENING STANDARD

“meticulous in how it goes through and breaks down these threats and forces itself not to stop on easy answers, and to be really rigorous”

— NATE SILVER, founder of FiveThirtyEight

“The Precipice separates science from hype and will remain the definitive work on existential risk for a long time to come.”

— MAX TEGMARK, author of Life 3.0

“This book is a wake-up call to the existential threats of nuclear and biological weapons, and the urgent need for action. A must-read that galvanizes us to play a role in addressing these risks.”

— ANGELA KANE, former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

“A fascinating and persuasive guide to the most important topic of all: how our species will survive the risks we pose to our continued existence.”

— STUART RUSSELL, author of Human Compatible

“I very much recommend it … a careful and comprehensive analysis of one of the most important questions: the existential risks that humanity is facing … I hope many will read this book and learn as much as I did.”

— MAX ROSER, founder of Our World In Data

“Toby Ord is today’s Carl Sagan. Clear and inspiring, this book leaves us hopeful for a flourishing human future.”

— CHRISTINE PETERSON, cofounder of the Foresight Institute