Wie die Welt wirklich funktioniert

What is still possible - and what is too late for: Vaclav Smil's provocative thesis

Czech-Canadian scientist Vaclav Smil, one of the world's leading experts on energy issues, subjects many of our perceptions of the world to a reality check in this provocative book. He explains the foundations on which our civilization is built and makes clear the immense challenges that lie ahead. For those who want to change the world, it is essential to first understand how it truly works.

Humanity has accumulated more knowledge than ever in its history. However, for individuals, an increasing number of devices and products in our daily lives have become a kind of black box. We can use them, but we no longer understand how they actually function. Moreover, more and more people have only superficial ideas about how we produce the food, raw materials, and goods that our society materially relies on. This leads to misjudgments, such as the belief that we could quickly transition our civilization from fossil fuels to renewable energy. It is not just about sustainable electricity production; it also involves alternative processes for producing cement, steel, plastic, and fertilizer. Technical innovations alone are not enough; they must also function commercially and be implemented worldwide—in hundreds of thousands of factories and production sites. Anyone contemplating the future of our planet should be aware of the facts that Vaclav Smil presents in this book.

The bestseller from the USA
The essence of an impressive scholarly life
The material foundations of our civilization explained scientifically
The four pillars of our civilization: cement, steel, plastic, fertilizer
Why we depend on fossil fuels much more than we think
How realistic is climate neutrality by 2050?.