Vaclav Smil explains the fundamental realities of the modern world. From energy and food to the materials that underpin civilization — ammonia, steel, cement, and plastics — Smil sets out how the modern world really works, and what the numbers tell us about the risks and the environmental price of keeping seven billion people fed, mobile, and housed. A clear-eyed guide to the science and statistics behind our age.
Description:
Vaclav Smil explains the fundamental realities of the modern world. From energy and food to the materials that underpin civilization — ammonia, steel, cement, and plastics — Smil sets out how the modern world really works, and what the numbers tell us about the risks and the environmental price of keeping seven billion people fed, mobile, and housed. A clear-eyed guide to the science and statistics behind our age.