Assesses the impact of humanity on twentieth century Earth, exploring the indirect effects of politics, international relations, technological change, key scientists, and environmental disasters and policies One of those rare books that’s both sweeping and specific, scholarly and readable…What makes the book stand out is its wealth of historical detail. —Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker List of Maps and Tables xiii Foreword xv Paul Kennedy Acknowledgments xvii Preface xxi Prologue: Peculiarities of a Prodigal Century 3(16) Economic Growth Since 1500 5(3) Population Growth Since 10,000 B.C. 8(2) Energy History Since 10,000 B.C. 10(6) Conclusion 16(3) PART ONE: The Music of the Spheres 19(248) The Lithosphere and Pedosphere: The Crust of the Earth 21(29) The Basics of the Earth's Crust 22(1) Soil Alchemy 22(4) Soil Pollution 26(4) Earth Movers 30(18) Conclusion 48(2) The Atmosphere: Urban History 50(34) The Basics of the Atmosphere 51(4) Air Pollution Before 1900 55(3) Air Pollution since 1900 58(6) Coal Cities 64(8) Smog Cities 72(4) Megacities 76(5) Recovering Cities 81(2) Conclusion 83(1) The Atmosphere: Regional and Global History 84(34) Regional Air Pollution since 1870 84(8) The Air in Japan 92(7) Acid Rain 99(3) Further Consequences of Air Pollution 102(6) Climate Change and Stratospheric Ozone 108(7) Space Pollution 115(1) Conclusion 116(2) The Hydrosphere: The History of Water Use and Water Pollution 118(31) Water Basics 119(1) World Water Use and Supply 120(2) Urban Water 122(7) River Water 129(7) Lakes and Eutrophication 136(1) Seas and Oceans 137(10) Conclusion 147(2) The Hydrosphere: Depletions, Dams, and Diversions 149(43) Groundwater 151(6) Dams and Diversions 157(26) Taming Floods and Draining Wetlands 183(6) Coastlines 189(1) Conclusion 190(2) The Biosphere: Eal and Be Eaten 192(36) Microbiota: The First Lords of the Biosphere 194(18) Land Use and Agriculture 212(15) Conclusion 227(1) The Biosphere: Forests, Fish, and Invasions 228(39) Forests 229(8) Whaling and Fishing 237(15) Biological Invasions 252(10) Biodiversity and the Sixth Extinction 262(3) Conclusion 265(2) PART TWO: Engines of Change 267(96) More People, Bigger Cities 269(27) Population Growth 270(6) Migration 276(5) The Footprints and Metabolisms of Cities 281(14) Conclusion 295(1) Fuels, Tools, and Economics 296(29) Energy Regimes and the Environment 297(9) Technological Change and the Environment 306(8) Economic Changes and the Environment 314(9) Conclusion 323(2) Ideas and Politics 325(32) Big Ideas 326(10) Environmental Ideas 336(5) International Politics and War 341(8) Environmental Politics and Policies 349(6) Conclusion 355(2) Epilogue: So What? 357(6) Bibliography 363(42) Credits 405(2) Index 407