How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil
How the World Really Works
How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going by Vaclav Smil synthesizes the author’s decades of research on energy, technology, and society.
Material Foundations
The book focuses on the physical underpinnings of modern civilization, particularly our dependence on energy and materials like cement, steel, plastics, and ammonia. Smil quantifies these dependencies with detailed data, showing how they constrain our options for the future.
Energy Transitions
A central theme is the nature and pace of energy transitions. Smil provides historical context for understanding how energy systems change, arguing that transitions to renewable energy will likely be slower and more complex than many optimistic scenarios suggest.
Data-Driven Analysis
The book is dense with numerical data presented to track changes over time. This approach grounds discussions in empirical reality rather than wishful thinking, occasionally challenging popular narratives about technology and progress with surprising findings, such as placing less importance on the computing revolution than commonly assumed.