The ancient Greeks were indeed a smart lot! Their cities were planned only after carefully studying the seasons. This helped them utilize natural energy resources like the sun and the wind. Discover the many wonderful secrets of this great civilization with Teri, the traveller, as she finds herself transported to ancient Greece.

Did you know that the Mesopotamians were the ones who came up with the idea of using wind energy to travel from one place to another? Or, that they were the first to build a network of canals to irrigate their fields? Journey across ancient Mesopotamia, as King Hammurabi guides little Teri through the paths of history, to learn many such interesting facts.

Did you know that as many as 7000 years ago, people who lived in the Indus valley practised rainwater harvesting? Not only that, this smart green civilization also used sun-baked bricks, which was an effective way to use solar energy. Familiarize yourself with the fascinating ways of this ancient civilization as Teri, our time-travelling explorer, goes back in time, to the Indus Valley.

The Great Pyramid of Giza, built approximately in 2580 BC, stands testimony to the greatness of the ancient Egyptian civilization. The people of ancient Egypt were not only skilful builders but were also deeply interested in science, mathematics, medicine, and technology! Discover the green lessons that they have left behind in this book, where Teri, our guide to the past, travels to ancient Egypt.

A comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society throughout history, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel–driven civilization. "I wait for new Smil books the way some people wait for the next 'Star Wars' movie. In his latest book, Energy and Civilization: A History, he goes deep and broad to explain how innovations in humans' ability to turn energy into heat, light, and motion have been a driving force behind our cultural and economic progress over the past 10,000 years. —Bill Gates, Gates Notes, Best Books of the Year Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects of raindrops. Life on Earth depends on the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy into plant biomass. Humans have come to rely on many more energy flows—ranging from fossil fuels to photovoltaic generation of electricity—for their civilized existence. In this monumental history, Vaclav Smil provides a comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel–driven civilization. Humans are the only species that can systematically harness energies outside their bodies, using the power of their intellect and an enormous variety of artifacts—from the simplest tools to internal combustion engines and nuclear reactors. The epochal transition to fossil fuels affected everything: agriculture, industry, transportation, weapons, communication, economics, urbanization, quality of life, politics, and the environment. Smil describes humanity's energy eras in panoramic and interdisciplinary fashion, offering readers a magisterial overview. This book is an extensively updated and expanded version of Smil's Energy in World History (1994). Smil has incorporated an enormous amount of new material, reflecting the dramatic developments in energy studies over the last two decades and his own research over that time.

Explore the green customs of ancient civilizations, reflected in different aspects of their life. Nonfiction text is paired with graphic novel style fiction insets--perfect for reluctant readers

Carbon is the chemical scaffolding of life and civilization; indeed, the great cycle by which carbon moves through organisms, ground, water, and atmosphere has long been a kind of global respiration system that helps keep Earth in balance. And yet, when we hear the word today, it is more often than not in a crisis context. Journalist Roston evokes this essential element, from the Big Bang to modern civilization. Charting the science of carbon--how it was formed, how it came to Earth--he chronicles the often surprising ways mankind has used it over centuries, and the growing catastrophe of the industrial era, leading our current attempt to wrestle the Earth's geochemical cycle back from the brink. Blending the latest science with original reporting, Roston makes us aware of the seminal impact carbon has, and has had, on our lives.--From publisher description.