The World Peril of 1910 — George Griffith / George Chetwynd Griffith

The World Peril of 1910 (originally published as the short story The Great Crellin Comet) was the first to address the consequences of a collision with the kinetic energy in a comet. It was also the birth of the countdown. The World Peril of 1910 introduced the concept that technology could stave off Armageddon and could save humanity from suffering the ignominious fate of the dinosaurs. The story encompasses romance, technology, war, scientific inventions and of course the saving of the Earth all in a fun adventurous manner. George Griffith was born in 1857 in Plymouth England. His father, a cleric, had little money at his death, but had provided young George with access to his extensive library and the fantastic works of Jules Verne. On retiring as a seaman he spent several years working as a teacher and began writing for the local newspaper. Griffith is considered "the first professional science fiction writer" because he produced story after story, on demand, for his editors and publishers.