Oil
Without oil, there would be no globalization, no plastic, little transport, and a worldwide political landscape that few would recognize. It is the lifeblood of the modern world, and humanity's dependence upon it looks set to continue for decades to come. In this topical book, the author of the acclaimed Energy: A Beginner's Guide, Vaclav Smil, explains all matters related to the "black stuff," from its discovery in the earth right through to the political maelstrom that surrounds it today. Packed with fascinating facts and insight, Oil: A Beginner's Guide is unique in bringing together so many different aspects of the oil story. From geology and economics to alternative energy sources once oil has run out, Smil's comprehensive introduction will fuel dinner party debate and provide readers with the science and politics behind the world's most controversial resource. - Back cover.
Stats for nerds
0recommend
2mentions
2people
2020–2023years
50% neutral50% critical
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- I'm fascinated by this idea. Do you have any books or resources you'd recommend that dives into the topic of energy?
I've found two interesting books so far: - Oil: A Beginner's Guide by Vaclav Smil - Energy and Civilization: A History by Vaclav Smil
- Wood didn't give way to coal that gave way to oil. This is a terrible fallacy (albeit very commmon, even Vaclav Smil fell into it in his "Oil" book). The world currently consumes more coal than it ever did. Wood consumption is also record high. We simply stacked up energy sources. Check this page: https://ourworldindata.org/energy
So far, fossil fuels still represent about 85% of our energy consumption, and about 99% for transportation.
We had a world 100% on renewable, back in the 18th century, but we were 600 millions and lived 35 years. OTOH we have no credible way to replace 85% of our energy by renewables in the next 10 years (if we want to keep climate change at reasonable levels).
