How the World Gets Its Energy: From Fire and Fossil Fuels to Wind, Sun Nuclear Power: 4

Where does electricity come from when you press a switch? How can sunlight, moving water, rushing wind, burning fuel and even split atoms all power the same lamp? How the World Gets Its Energy takes young readers behind the sockets, engines and power stations on which modern life depends. Beginning with humanity's first controlled fires, it follows the extraordinary journey from muscle power, windmills and waterwheels to coal, oil, natural gas and the invention of electricity. Readers will discover how turbines and generators work, why electricity grids must remain perfectly balanced, and how dams, wind farms, solar panels, geothermal wells and nuclear reactors transform natural energy into useful power. The book also investigates batteries, hydrogen, radioactive waste and the challenge of storing electricity for the moment when it is needed. Every major energy source is examined fairly. What are its advantages? What are its limitations? How reliable is it? What does it cost, and how might it affect people, wildlife, landscapes and Earth's climate? Clear, vivid and evidence-based, this fourth volume in the five-book Earth in Action series explains one of the greatest scientific and engineering stories of our time. It gives curious readers the knowledge they need to look beyond simple slogans and understand the difficult choices involved in powering the world safely, reliably and responsibly.