Energies: An Illustrated Guide to the Biosphere and Civilization
"Filled with interesting factual tidbits, useful charts and drawings, and relevant background on policy issues such as global warming and increased energy security, this book rekindles the fascination with science that we all once had as children." -- Richard N. Cooper, Foreign Affairs "Dip into the book anywhere, and you will find a bracing fact or connection. . . . dazzling." -- Scientific American In this highly original book, ecologist Vaclav Smil presents a comprehensive and integrated survey of all the forms of energy that shape our world, from the sun to the human body, from bread to microchips. Written in a scientifically sophisticated yet accessible style, Energies consists of eighty-two short essays organized under six headings: Sun and Earth, Plants and Animals, People and Food, Preindustrial Societies, Fossil-Fueled Civilization, and Transportation and Information. Each essay explains the science of the energy form as well as its implications for the functioning of the universe, life, or human society.
