(Found) Comet Dust Causes Engines to Seize Up - Worldwide Chaos and War

[dleeper47]

I'm trying to find the name of a book I read as a teenager - probably in the early 1960s. I remember only the plot.

A comet passes near earth, and dust from its tail envelopes Earth. The dust causes surface tension in metals to break down, and anywhere metal needs to slide over other metal, the parts effectively weld together.

All internal combustion engines seize up and chaos ensues as food deliveries and a host of other services fail. There is worldwide battle as people begin starving. Different factions fight with one another in the streets over what is left of food and water supplies.

A solution is eventually found, but not until many die --

That's about all I remember ...

Can anyone help me find the title for this book?

 

[Wruter]

Another one from Project Gutenberg, The Year When Stardust Fell by Raymond F. Jones:

The Year When Stardust Fell by Raymond F. Jones

 

[dleeper47]

Bingo! That's it -- and just reading that title I knew right away that was it!

Thanks, Wruter!

BTW, that's a very good story -- I remember staying up all night on a "school night" to read that whole book when I should have been sleeping.

The story foreshadows the effect an EMP (either natural or man-made) might have on our modern society.

Regards,

David

 

[Parson]

(sigh!) One of the few of these I would have had an answer to without looking it up. I also read it all in one sitting. I still sometimes think about it.