The World in a Grain
The World in a Grain
Vince Beiser
Trung Phan
About the Sand industry. - Trung Phan
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The World in a Grain

The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization

Vince Beiser
By
Vince Beiser
4.0
1910
ratings on Goodreads

In "The World in a Grain," Vince Beiser unveils the hidden yet monumental role of sand in shaping human civilization and the looming crisis of its depletion. With the narrative flair of a seasoned journalist, Beiser escorts readers on a global odyssey, unraveling how this most inconspicuous resource underpins everything from the grandeur of ancient pyramids and the marvels of modern technology to the very foundations of the buildings we inhabit. Sand, as Beiser compellingly illustrates, is not just a constituent of our physical world but a pivotal player in our ongoing quest for progress and innovation. Yet, as this indispensable resource dwindles, the quest for sand has sparked a series of environmental, economic, and ethical dilemmas, propelling us toward a crisis of unimaginable proportions. Through vivid storytelling and exhaustive research, Beiser introduces us to the eclectic cast of characters who populate the sand industry: from the relentless miners and savvy entrepreneurs to the shadowy figures willing to kill for this gritty commodity. "The World in a Grain" does more than just chart the surprising ascendancy of sand; it poses urgent questions about sustainability, environmental justice, and our future in a world running out of its most underestimated asset. Beiser's investigation is a clarion call to recognize the true value of sand—a substance as finite as it is fundamental, as contentious as it is essential—before it slips irretrievably through our fingers.

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Released
2018
7 Aug
Length
294
Pages

1

recommendations

recommendation

About the Sand industry. - Trung Phan
Concrete is an invention as transformative as fire or electricity. It has changed where and how billions of people live, work, and move around. Concrete is the skeleton of the modern world, the scaffold on which so much else is built. It gives us the power to dam enormous rivers, erect buildings of Olympian height, and travel to all but the remotest corners of the world with an ease that would astonish our ancestors. Measured by the number of lives it touches, concrete is easily the most important man-made material ever invented.
— Vince Beiser, The World in a Grain

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