Ruth S DeFries
Author
Publisher
Basic Books
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
"Our species' pervasive presence on the planet is the combined result of two powerful forces: earth's rich natural endowments and humanity's ability to manipulate nature. From our ability to control fire to our expertise in breeding palatable plants, from our capacity to ship fertilizer across the Atlantic to our skill in selectively tinkering with plant genomes, DeFries describes the ingenious manipulations of nature that have enabled humankind to...
Author
Publisher
Columbia University Press
Pub. Date
[2021]
Language
English
Description
"The twentieth century seemed to offer an unwavering path to prosperity: deadly diseases were disappearing, and breakthrough technologies were starting to solve many problems. But today, certainty about the course of civilization is giving way to doubt and disbelief. The world seems less comprehensible, less predictable, and more prone to surprises from cascading consequences like drought, raging fires, political upheaval, and financial collapse....