by Vaclav Smil
antennas, 244, 247, 249
appliances, 77, 91–93
art, 30, 297
Athens, 7
Au Bonheur des Dames, 30, 295
aviation, 12, 102, 145–151, 179–180
Babcock & Wilcox, 52, 56
BASF (Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik), 17–18, 190–192
bakelite, 181
bars,
chocolate, 278
reinforcing, 171
batteries, 30, 34, 74–75, 269
bauxite, 173, 177, 179, 300
beams,
H, 168
I, 168
Bell Telephone Company, 233, 235
Benz & Companie, 98, 99, 115, 136
bicycles, 134–135
blades,
razor, 276–277
turbine, 63
Boeing 747, 35, 179–180
books, 202, 213
bridges, 152–154, 165
British Petroleum, 301
broadcasting, 244–257, 308
antennas, 244, 247, 249
frequencies, 244, 249–250, 254
Brown Boveri, 65, 67, 301
Budapest, 71, 76
buses, 141
cables,
submarine, 89
calculators, 262–264
cameras, 215–217
Brownie, 297
Canada, 89, 151, 250, 301
Dry Ginger Ale, 278
candles, 27, 45, 290
caps,
bottle, 275–276
Cape Cod, 249
carbon, 39–44, 157–158
carburetors, 112, 126
cards,
punched, 263, 265
Carnegie Steel, 156, 162, 311–312
carriers,
aircraft, 150, 280–281
landings on, 150, 280–281
cars, 110–139, 295–296, 304
assembly, 132–133
driving, 122
early history, 121–129
electric, 30, 123–124
engines (see engines, internal combustion)
first, 98, 112–114
improvements, 124–129
industry, 121–138
infatuation with, 139
mass production, 131–133
prices, 130, 133, 137
problems with, 121–123
races, 114, 127, 135–137
regulations, 122, 136–137
speed, 113, 115, 122–123, 131, 139, 141
steering, 124
cartoons, 297
catalogs, 213
catalysts, 190, 192–193
cells,
photovoltaic, 35–36
charcoal, 182, 289–290
chemistry, 13, 17–18
Chicago, 65, 91, 96, 168–169, 297
World (Columbian) Fair (1893), 45, 58, 91, 297–298
China, 8–9, 154, 182, 196–197
Cineématograph, 222, 224–225
cities, 296
civilization, 1–2, 34
modern, 259–260, 273, 303–312
and nitrogen, 194–197
spirit of, 260
tempo of, 14, 100, 110, 260
Clifden (Ireland), 250
CN Tower, 172
coal, 180, 288–289, 293, 300, 310–311
Cola,
Coca, 278, 301
Pepsi, 278, 301
coke, 156, 188, 288–290
Columbia, 49
communication, 199–202, 245–254
wireless, 245–254
computers, 210, 261–262
personal, 261
programming of, 262–263
concrete, 169–172
prestressed, 172
reinforced, 169–172
consumption,
conspicuous, 295
mass, 295–296
Cosmopolitan, 279
cryolite, 175, 177, 180
current,
electric
AC vs. DC, 84–89
alternating (AC), 11, 34, 57, 60, 62, 69–71, 73, 77, 83–89, 94, 97
converters, 86, 89
direct (DC), 55, 57, 60, 62, 69, 75, 77, 83, 89, 94
high-voltage alternating (HVAC), 84, 86, 88–89, 179
high-voltage direct (HVDC), 89, 179
rectifiers, 11, 83, 89
resistance, 15, 41–43, 69
cyanide, 308
cyanamide, 188–189
cycle, 14, 24
Carnot, 14, 117–118, 120
four-stroke, 108–110
long economic, 7, 24–25
nitrogen, 195
Otto, 24, 106–110, 118
Rougon-Macquart, 8, 299
two-stroke, 112–113
cyclonite, 183, 186
Daimler-Benz, 115
DaimlerChrysler, 301
data,
management, 261–262
Deptford, 72, 86–87
Deutz AG, 105, 109, 111
diode, 255–256
DMG (Daimler Motoren Gesselschaft), 114–115, 125–126, 128, 136, 141
Dreadnought, 68
drill,
percussion, 8–9
dynamite, 22, 181, 182–184
dynamos, 22, 50–58, 61, 63, 75, 82, 86, 308, 274
Edison, 51–58
Jumbo, 53, 55–58
earth,
diatomaceous, 182–184
Earth nighttime images 2–4
satellites, 23, 179
East River (New York), 32–33, 66
economy, 13–18, 22–23, 284–287, 300–301
globalization of, 300–301
knowledge, 13–18
US, 22–23, 284–287
Edison Electric Light Company, 40, 52, 58, 85, 89
Elberfeld, 64
electricity, 11–12, 33–97, 54, 58, 70–72, 77– 78, 82, 273, 292, 307
AC vs. DC, 84–89
advantages of, 35–36
appliances, 77, 91–93
central plants, 53–60, 88–91
distribution of, 53–54, 57
early history of, 33–34
exhibitions, 53, 55, 59, 70, 87, 76, 91
flexibility of, 35–36
generating plants, 32–33, 53, 55–58, 60, 62, 64–66, 72–73, 88–91, 283
generation of, 32–33, 55–58, 64–66, 72– 73, 88–91, 289, 291–292
in households, 91–93
hydro, 90–91
importance of, 35–36, 49, 79–81, 307
legislation, 96
lights, 35, 38–49, 283, 307
meters, 86
motors, 74–83, 284
prices, 96
systems, 29, 61–62, 83–97
transformers, 68–74
transmission of, 42, 53–54, 57, 69, 73, 86–89, 283
in transportation, 94–96
uses of, 35–36, 74–83, 96
electrocardiograph, 93
electrolysis, 175–179
elevators, 168
energy, 29, 179, 287–292 (see also coal, crude oil, electricity, wood)
biomass, 29
consumption of, 287–292
efficiency of use, 289–290
sources, 29, 288
transitions, 288–292
engines
internal combustion, 29, 98–110, 124– 129, 140–144, 148–151, 182, 273, 289
aero, 148–151, 305
compression ratios, 108, 128
diesel, 120–121, 143–144, 151
early history of, 100–110
four stroke, 101, 108.110–111
gas, 101, 104–108, 304
gasoline, 111–113, 304
heavy-duty, 141–144
importance of, 102–103
improvements of, 124–129
knocking in, 128
ship, 143–144
two-stroke, 99, 112–113, 140–141
steam, 52, 61, 65–66, 83, 86, 100–101, 123, 288–289
Porter-Allen, 52, 61
ENIAC, 263
&nb
sp; English Channel crossing of, 148, 304–305
eruption,
Cambrian, 9
etaoin shrdlu, 207
evolution, 6–7, 13
accelerated, 2–3, 6–7
exhibitions, 91, 179, 199, 242
explosives, 180, 182–186
military, 185–186
Falling Water, 172
fertilizers, 194–197, 277
filaments, 23–24, 37–42
carbon, 39–44
metallic, 46–49
osmium, 46
platinum, 38–42
resistance, 41–42
tantalum, 46
tungsten, 46–48, 128, 290
films, 217–219, 223–226, 273
Firth of Forth bridge, 152–153, 165
fission,
bombs, 10
nuclear, 29
flight, 35–36
first, 12, 140, 146–148
gliders, 145–148
internal combustion engines in, 102, 148–151
Florence, 7
Flyer, 147–148
food, 27, 194–197, 278, 293–295, 300
Ford,
Model T, 115, 128–134, 137–139
Motor Company, 130–133, 138, 296, 301
assembly lines, 132–133
mass production, 131–133
FORTRAN, 262
fourdrinier, 210
France, 138, 154, 173, 225, 286–287, 296
Frankfurt, 87, 94–95
fuel, 30
cells, 30
diesel, 143
fossil, 29
furnaces,
blast, 156, 179, 290
electric arc, 95, 164, 308–309
open-hearth (Siemens-Martin), 22, 160– 165
fusion,
nuclear, 29–30
games, 278
gas,
coal, 45, 50, 104, 290
gasoline, 111–112, 128, 143
GE (General Electric), 44–45, 47–48, 65, 67, 73, 85, 87–88, 92–93, 96–97, 254, 274, 301
Germany, 90, 94–96, 101, 110–124, 150–151, 154, 193, 286–287, 296, 299, 301, 310–311
car engines, 110–124
GDP (gross domestic product), 22, 202, 213, 286, 290 GM (General Motors), 127, 137, 301
Glace Bay (Nova Scotia), 250
gliders, 145–148
gold, 308
gradualism,
phyletic, 6–7
gramophone, 237–239
gunpowder, 182
halftones, 219–220
hamburgers, 278
Han dynasty, 8–9
Helios, 35–36
His Master’s Voice (HMV), 240
Hollywood, 224, 226
Home Insurance Building, 169
Homo sapiens, 6, 9
Honda, 108, 140
horses, 8, 14–15, 20, 27, 141, 215–216, 304
hydrogen, 193
hygiene, 294
hysteresis, 73
IBM, 262–263
Illustrated London News, 220, 307
images, 214–226, 273
reproduction of, 214–226
imagination, 11–12, 268, 312
India, 196–197
innovations, 2–4, 7–13, 17–18, 28–29, 304, 311
life cycles of, 280–284
inventions, 2–4, 7–8, 21, 23, 25–27, 251, 253, 265–266, 307–308
lists of, 25–26, 307
secondary, 275–280
iron,
pig (cast), 154, 157, 179, 290
in transformers, 70–73
wrought, 154, 158
Kellogg, M. W., 196–197
Kensington Street, 259–260
Kinetograph, 221, 223
Kinetsocope, 221–222, 224
Kodak, 201, 217–219
labor, 293, 297, 311–312
artisanal, 102, 132, 134–135, 155, 309
female, 302–303, 306
hours, 286–287
mechanization of, 292–301, 309
productivity of, 286–287
in steel mills, 311–312
wages, 287
female, 302–303, 306
leisure, 297
light, 4–49
arc, 37–38
bulbs, 18–19, 24, 44–46, 48–49, 274– 275
discharge, 48
electric, 11–12, 23–24, 35, 37–49, 274– 275
efficacy, 45–46, 48
efficiency of, 11, 45–48, 290
fluorescent, 48, 284
halide, 48
history of, 4–45
incandescent, 11, 18–19, 24, 37–49, 282–284
resistance of, 41–43
gas, 19, 45, 48, 50
lines,
assembly, 132–133
linotypes, 204–207, 308
literature, 8, 30, 297
Lloyds of London, 251
London, 20, 36–38, 48, 53, 55, 66, 72, 86– 87, 91, 96–97, 198, 246, 259–260, 297
Machrihanish (Scotland), 254
magnetite, 193
malnutrition, 196
MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg), 143
Manhattan, 52–53, 56–58, 89, 168
materials, 29, 153–197
consumption of, 154–155
explosives, 182–186
fertilizers, 194–197
metals, 155–180
mechanization, 29, 292–301, 309–310
consequences of, 299–300, 311–312
Menlo Park, 39, 43, 49, 52, 59, 61
Mercedes, 114–116, 126, 128–129, 139
microchips, 2–4, 261
Middle East, 291
Mitsubishi, 301
modulation,
amplitude, 255
frequency, 255
Montgomery Ward, 202, 213
mortality, 300
motorcycles, 111–112, 140
motors,
electric, 60, 74–83, 308
AC, 77–83 DC, 75–76, 83
importance of, 79–83
in industry, 79–83
movies, 220–226, 308
early history, 221–226
music, 297
muscles, 14–15
N. A. Otto & Co., 105, 111
New Economy, 2–5, 30
New York, 52–53, 56–57, 89, 94, 96, 123, 168–169
Newcastle upon Tyne, 63, 64, 90
Niagara Falls, 73, 87–88, 176
Nimitz, 68, 280
nitrate,
ammonium, 184–185
Chilean, 187, 193
ANFO, 185
nitrogen, 186–197
applications, 196–197
in ecosystems, 186–187
fertilizers, 194–197, 273
guano, 187
fixation, 186–188, 197
nitroglycerine, 182–184, 269
oil,
crude, 291–292, 300
prices of, 25–26
refining of, 128
OPEC, 25–26
oxygen, 15
paintings, 297
Panama Canal, 79–80
Panhard & Levassor, 124–125
Pantheon, 169
paper, 30, 210–213, 273
clips, 276–277
production, 210–213
mechanical process, 210
soda (alkali) process, 210–211
sulfate process, 211–213
sulfite (acid) process, 211–212
parcels, 201–202
Paris, 8, 30–31, 34, 37–38, 51, 53, 55, 59, 124, 127, 135–136, 294–295, 299, 302–303, 306
Electric Exhibition, 53, 55, 59, 76, 91
patents, 243, 266, 285–286, 293
aluminum, 175–176
ammonia, 190, 192
Bell’s, 228–232, 234
Benz’s, 112
Diesel’s, 118–119
Eastman’s, 217–218
Edison’s, 54, 57–58, 75, 221–222, 231– 232, 242
electricity, 54, 58, 70–72, 77–78,
82
dynamite, 181, 183
Haber’s, 190, 192