Introduction: Why do we need this book?

1. Understanding Energy: Fuels and electricity
2. Understanding Food Production: Eating fossil fuels
3. Understanding Our Material World: The four pillars of modern civilization
4. Understanding Globalization: Engine,s microchips, and beyond
5. Understanding Risks: From viruses to diets to solar flares
6. Understanding the Environment: The only biosphere we have
7. Understanding the Future: Between apocalypse and singularity

Appendix: Understanding Numbers: Orders of magnitude

References and notes
Acknowledgments
Index