Presently, we react to small worldwide cataclysmic events with a sense of awe and wonder over the power of nature and science: monsoons in Asia, earthquakes in Mexico, epidemics in Africa, nuclear meltdowns in Russia. We view these events as isolated occurrences deserving our attention for the full two minutes they are being aired on TV. Many people point to organizations such as the Red Cross, the United Nations, and world governments as examples of our compassion and united front intended to address such events. But would such minor efforts provide us with the expertise to handle an event such as a pole shift?