Our lives today are oversaturated with information, but most people still do not know how our world actually works. This book covers key topics related to our survival and well-being: energy, food production, critical durable materials, globalization, risk assessment, the environment and the human future. Finding effective solutions to problems requires studying the facts - we learn, for example, that globalization was not inevitable and that our society is increasingly dependent on fossil fuels, so any promises of decarbonization by 2050 are nothing more than a fairy tale. That every tomato grown in a greenhouse requires the energy equivalent of five tablespoons of diesel fuel, and that we don't know of ways to mass produce steel, cement and plastic that don't leave a gigantic carbon footprint. In addition, the Canadian scientist, ecologist and political scientist Vaclav Smil, famous for his work on the connection between energy and ecology, demography and real politics, as well as his masterly ability to handle large amounts of statistical data, is looking for an answer to the most important question of our time: is humanity doomed to Doom or a happy new world awaiting us? Compelling, data-rich, innovative, and with a broad, interdisciplinary perspective, this book rejects both extremes. A quantitative view of the world reveals truths that change the way we think about the past, the present, and the uncertain future. “I am neither a pessimist nor an optimist; I am a scientist trying to explain how the world really works, and I will use this understanding to help us better understand future limitations and opportunities.” (Vaclav Smil)The publishing design is preserved in PDF A4 format.