How the world really works: the science behind how we got here and where we're going
(Book)
Description
"An essential analysis of the modern science and technology that makes our twenty-first century lives possible--a scientist's investigation into what science really does, and does not, accomplish. We have never had so much information at our fingertips and yet most of us don't know how the world really works. This book explains seven of the most fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. From energy and food production, through our material world and its globalization, to risks, our environment and its future, How the World Really Works offers a much-needed reality check--because before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts. In this ambitious and thought-provoking book we see, for example, that globalization isn't inevitable--the foolishness of allowing 70 per cent of the world's rubber gloves to be made in just one factory became glaringly obvious in 2020--and that our societies have been steadily increasing their dependence on fossil fuels, such that any promises of decarbonization by 2050 are a fairy tale. For example, each greenhouse-grown supermarket-bought tomato has the equivalent of five tablespoons of diesel embedded in its production, and we have no way of producing steel, cement or plastics at required scales without huge carbon emissions. Ultimately, Smil answers the most profound question of our age: are we irrevocably doomed or is a brighter utopia ahead? Compelling, data-rich and revisionist, this wonderfully broad, interdisciplinary guide finds faults with both extremes. Looking at the world through this quantitative lens reveals hidden truths that change the way we see our past, present and uncertain future"--
Copies
More Copies In LINK+
More Details
Notes
Reviews from GoodReads
Citations
Smil, V. (2022). How the world really works: the science behind how we got here and where we're going. First North American edition. [New York], Viking.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)Smil, Vaclav. 2022. How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going. [New York], Viking.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)Smil, Vaclav, How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going. [New York], Viking, 2022.
MLA Citation (style guide)Smil, Vaclav. How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going. First North American edition. [New York], Viking, 2022.
Staff View
QR Code
Record Information
| Last Sierra Extract Time | Sep 06, 2024 02:13:02 PM |
|---|---|
| Last File Modification Time | Sep 06, 2024 02:13:35 PM |
| Last Grouped Work Modification Time | Sep 07, 2024 02:15:45 AM |
MARC Record
| LEADER | 04568pam a2200541 i 4500 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 2022006318 | ||
| 003 | DLC | ||
| 005 | 20220715132027.1 | ||
| 008 | 220319r20222022nyu b 001 0 eng | ||
| 010 | |a 2022006318 | ||
| 020 | |a 9780593297063 | ||
| 040 | |a LBSOR/DLC |b eng |e rda |c DLC |d NjBwBT | ||
| 042 | |a pcc | ||
| 049 | |a JRSA | ||
| 050 | 0 | 0 | |a Q175.5 |b .S578 2022 |
| 082 | 0 | 4 | |a 303.48/3 |2 23/eng/20220420 |
| 099 | |a 501 S641 2022 | ||
| 100 | 1 | |a Smil, Vaclav, |e author. | |
| 245 | 1 | 0 | |a How the world really works : |b the science behind how we got here and where we're going / |c Vaclav Smil. |
| 250 | |a First North American edition. | ||
| 264 | 1 | |a [New York] : |b Viking, |c 2022. | |
| 300 | |a 326 pages ; |c 24 cm | ||
| 336 | |a text |b txt |2 rdacontent | ||
| 337 | |a unmediated |b n |2 rdamedia | ||
| 338 | |a volume |b nc |2 rdacarrier | ||
| 500 | |a "First published in hardcover in Great Britain by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House Ltd., London, in 2022." | ||
| 504 | |a Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-306) and index. | ||
| 505 | 0 | |a Introduction: Why do we need this book? -- Understanding energy : fuels and electricity -- Understanding food production : eating fossil fuels -- Understanding our material world : the four pillars of modern civilization -- Understanding globalization : engines, microchips, and beyond -- Understanding risks : from viruses to diets to solar flares -- Understanding the environment : the only biosphere we have -- Understanding the future : between apocalypse and singularity. | |
| 520 | |a "An essential analysis of the modern science and technology that makes our twenty-first century lives possible--a scientist's investigation into what science really does, and does not, accomplish. We have never had so much information at our fingertips and yet most of us don't know how the world really works. This book explains seven of the most fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. From energy and food production, through our material world and its globalization, to risks, our environment and its future, How the World Really Works offers a much-needed reality check--because before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts. In this ambitious and thought-provoking book we see, for example, that globalization isn't inevitable--the foolishness of allowing 70 per cent of the world's rubber gloves to be made in just one factory became glaringly obvious in 2020--and that our societies have been steadily increasing their dependence on fossil fuels, such that any promises of decarbonization by 2050 are a fairy tale. For example, each greenhouse-grown supermarket-bought tomato has the equivalent of five tablespoons of diesel embedded in its production, and we have no way of producing steel, cement or plastics at required scales without huge carbon emissions. Ultimately, Smil answers the most profound question of our age: are we irrevocably doomed or is a brighter utopia ahead? Compelling, data-rich and revisionist, this wonderfully broad, interdisciplinary guide finds faults with both extremes. Looking at the world through this quantitative lens reveals hidden truths that change the way we see our past, present and uncertain future"-- |c Provided by publisher. | ||
| 650 | 0 | |a Science |x Social aspects. | |
| 650 | 0 | |a Science and civilization. | |
| 650 | 0 | |a Technological innovations |x Social aspects. | |
| 650 | 0 | |a Technology and civilization. | |
| 776 | 0 | 8 | |i Online version: |a Smil, Vaclav. |t How the world really works. |b First United States edition |d [New York] : Viking, 2022 |z 9780593297070 |w (DLC) 2022006319 |
| 907 | |a .b27114661 | ||
| 945 | |y .i86995820 |i 33029112385737 |l sylag |s - |k |u 17 |x 4 |w 1 |v 12 |t 3 |z 06-01-22 |o - | ||
| 945 | |y .i86995832 |i 33029112385745 |l carag |s - |k 09-14-24 |u 14 |x 5 |w 0 |v 10 |t 3 |z 06-01-22 |o - | ||
| 945 | |y .i86995844 |i 33029112385752 |l nhiag |s - |k 09-24-24 |u 17 |x 7 |w 1 |v 8 |t 3 |z 06-01-22 |o - | ||
| 945 | |y .i86995856 |i 33029112385760 |l oraag |s - |k |u 14 |x 4 |w 1 |v 18 |t 3 |z 06-01-22 |o - | ||
| 945 | |y .i8743376x |i 33029112747696 |l arcag |s - |k 09-27-24 |u 12 |x 6 |w 1 |v 19 |t 3 |z 08-02-22 |o - | ||
| 945 | |y .i87433771 |i 33029112747704 |l carag |s ! |k |u 11 |x 2 |w 0 |v 18 |t 3 |z 08-02-22 |o - | ||
| 945 | |y .i87946312 |i 31740006732998 |l suta |s t |k |u 11 |x 5 |w 1 |v 13 |t 3 |z 10-31-22 |o l |a 501 SMI | ||
| 995 | 0 | |a Loaded with m2btab.marciveb 2022-08 | |
| 995 | 0 | |a Loaded with m2btab.splbtbi 2022-08 | |
| 995 | 0 | |a Loaded with m2btab.marciveb 2022-06 | |
| 995 | 0 | |a Loaded with m2btab.splbtbi 2022-06 | |
| 995 | 0 | |a Loaded with m2btab.ingra 2022-03 | |
| 998 | |e - |d a |f eng |a arc |a car |a nhi |a ora |a sut |a syl | ||