Get ready to see the world through a new perspective – SPEED – a groundbreaking exploration that challenges your perceptions of the driving force of life, by the internationally bestselling author.

In a world that seems to be moving faster than ever, Smil examines how our relentless pursuit of speed – in areas such as production, travel, and communication – shapes not only our technological landscape but also our social and environmental realities. Through engaging stories and striking statistics, Smil questions the assumption that faster is always better.

He encourages readers to reconsider the implications of our collective obsession with speed, and its complex relationship with nature and innovation. For example, he highlights the surprising fact that erosion can actually speed up mountain growth, and notes that the rapid adoption of mobile phones – reaching 90 percent penetration in just nineteen years – reflects historical patterns of technological adoption, suggesting that our world may not be moving significantly faster than in the past.

Whether exploring the tiny mites that can travel 300 times their body length in a second or the societal impacts of high-frequency trading, SPEED invites readers to engage in a more balanced conversation about the role of speed in our lives, in an age characterized by haste.

Pages: 368, Dimensions: 15.3x15.3cm