In the Days of the Comet

In the Days of the Comet is a Science Fiction classic written by H. G. Wells and first published in 1906. In the midst of a world war, the tail of a comet brushes the atmosphere of earth, causing everyone to lose consciousness for a few hours. When the world awakens, everyone has an expanded understanding of the meaning of things. The war is quickly ended and a new utopia is created, even crime is reduced to near zero. What caused the transformation or was there ever one to begin with?