Summary:
The book examines the fundamental changes in energy use, food production, demographics, and governance that have shaped the modern world. It explores the unprecedented transitions in human history that have led to the current state of global civilization, including industrialization, urbanization, and the rise of economic and political systems.
Key points:
1. Energy Shifts: Smil shows how moving from muscle to fossil fuels drove growth and change, but took time and affected society and nature.
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