Prize-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Amanda Ripley's revised and updated edition of THE UNTHINKABLE: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes-and Why is on sale August 20th. For decades, Ripley has covered some of the most devastating disasters of our age and has set out to find new ways to handle them quicker and smarter. Timelier than ever, this new edition updates all the original research and features timely material on enormous, slow-moving disasters such as pandemics and climate catastrophes. Most importantly, it reveals the brain's ability to do much better-with a little help. To further understand the human reaction in imminent danger, Ripley turns to leading brain scientists, trauma psychologists, and other disaster expert ranging from COVID first responders and survivors, a Holocaust survivor who studies heroism, to a master gunfighter who learned to overcome extreme fear. Disaster can come in many forms, from earthquakes and wildfires to pandemics and acts of terror. Afterward, when the dust settles and the survivors emerge, we can't help but wonder: Why did they live when so many others perished? THE UNTHINKABLE explains the perils of crowd psychology, the elegance of the brain's fear circuits, how leaders can build trust quickly, and other invisible factors that can make the difference between death and survival. A fascinating combination of neuroscience, firsthand accounts, and thrilling investigative journalism, this book is for anyone who has ever wondered how they would respond in a life-and-death situation-or wanted to increase their odds of survival.