Book excerpt: Geophysics is a comparatively young science which only evolved as a distinct discipline during the 19th century. However, its phenomena (like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and lightning) had been objects of fear, curiosity and speculation since ancient times. In this book, Johan de Beer and his research team reveal that geophysical activity in South Africa can be traced back to as early as 1488. This is a truly astonishing revelation which deserves to be firmly entrenched as part of the country's proud history. The book also discusses the history and formation of South African geophysical institutions that made a huge and seldom acknowledged contribution to the technological development of southern Africa.