<P>In this highly original book, ecologist Vaclav Smil presents a comprehensive andintegrated survey of all the forms of energy that shape our world, from the sun to the human body,from bread to microchips. Written in a scientifically sophisticated yet accessible style, Energiesconsists of eighty-two short essays organized under six headings: Sun and Earth, Plants and Animals,People and Food, Preindustrial Societies, Fossil-Fueled Civilization, and Transportation andInformation. Each essay explains the science of the energy form as well as its implications for thefunctioning of the universe, life, or human society.</P>