In the Greek myth, Prometheus steals fire from Zeus and gives it as a gift to mankind. Fire, once possessed only by the gods, can now be used by lowly man. Like knowledge in the Garden of Eden, fire is at once essential to living and a dangerous threat to life. This dual nature of fire--that it is something that leads us to think we can command it until it rages beyond our control--has inspired many legends around the world. We are fascinated and...