A terrible cosmic catastrophe as a powerful factor that radically changes the appearance of the Earth and the course of life on our planet: which reader is not familiar with this concept? However, few people know that the author of the book you are holding in your hands developed it in detail back in the 19th century at the level of the latest scientific achievements of his time. And he outlined his conclusions in this very book! It is published for the first time in Russian. Ignatius Donnelly (1831–1901) is known to the reader as an atlantologist. However, he was also a professional politician (of a socialist orientation) and a writer. His books, written in a lively and entertaining manner, have gained popularity among a wide range of readers.