The World's Best Book Summaries
What causes oil spills to happen? What are the effects of oil spills? What’s the government doing to prevent them? Oil spills destroy the ocean—killing marine life and causing pollution—and put human health at risk. Sadly, they happen a lot more than people assume and are often swept under the carpet. Here’s a look at the causes and effects of oil spills.
What are the symptoms of heavy breathing? How can breathing too much cause weight gain and mental fatigue? Breathing too much degrades your health in many ways, including decreasing your tolerance to carbon dioxide and reducing the oxygenation of your muscles and organs. In The Oxygen Advantage, Patrick McKeown discusses a few of the adverse symptoms you may experience. Below we’ll take a look at the symptoms that could cause great harm to your mind and body.
How well do people understand the way the world works? How does this impact our assessment of climate change and its solutions? According to scientist Vaclav Smil, climate change can be slowed, but only gradually and at great expense. In How the World Really Works, he argues that this is because our current way of life relies so heavily on fossil fuels. Keep reading to understand the climate situation in the context of how the world really works.
Is there a climate crisis? Is climate alarmism called for? Who and what is to be believed? Even though it’s becoming more widely accepted that climate change is real, questions remain. We’re struggling to find answers, much less consensus, on what steps we should take, whether they’ll be enough, and how drastic the environmental situation really is. Keep reading for an assessment of the climate situation from award-winning science writer Michael Shellenberger.
What’s the best way to improve your breathing? What are the benefits of breathing through your nose? Breathing specialist Patrick McKeown’s main recommendation that anyone can use to improve their breathing is to exclusively breathe through the nose, not the mouth. The primary reason nasal breathing is so healthy is that it naturally limits the air you can breathe. Let’s check out the other benefits of breathing through your nose, according to The Oxygen Advantage.
How does mining for oil and gas affect the environment? Does fracking natural gas really cause earthquakes? According to her book Blowout, Rachel Maddow contends that there are many more negative effects of mining for energy sources than people think. Some of the impacts include poisoned soil, sick livestock and humans, increased global warming, and more. Continue reading to learn how mining for energy impacts the environment.
Is the use of solar and wind energy good for the environment? Why are conservationists at odds with environmentalists? The primary driver of climate change, and the most important issue to tackle, is society’s ever-growing energy consumption. Renewables are all the rage. However, as Michael Shellenberger explains, renewable energy has its own disadvantages and even harmful effects. Read more to learn about the problems with renewable energy.
How costly are nuclear power plants? Can they keep up with growing energy demands? How safe are they? We can’t get away from our dependence on energy. Michael Shellenberger argues that nuclear is the way to go. He explains the benefits of nuclear power and addresses the reservations and misconceptions many people have about it. Read on to understand Shellenberger’s argument for nuclear power, and see whether you’re convinced.
How connected are nuclear energy and nuclear weapons? Does nuclear power imply nuclear fallout? Award-winning science writer Michael Shellenberger says that nuclear power is the best way to meet rising energy demands. However, it’s hard to convince people of that because anti-nuclear propaganda has drastically clouded public opinion on the topic. Read more to learn how and why the anti-nuclear movement hijacked the narrative.
Why is it more expensive to build nuclear power plants in the US than in other places? Is the anti-nuclear movement doing more harm than good? According to award-winning science writer Michael Shellenberger, nuclear power is the solution for the foreseeable future when it comes to our ever-growing demands for energy. In Apocalypse Never, he makes the case for nuclear energy and explains who’s standing in the way. Read more to learn Shellenberger’s take on the nuclear power issue.