The big ratchet : how humanity thrives in the face of natural crisis : a biography of an indigenous species

1. A bird's-eye view. Civilization's engine -- The Irish pivot -- The length of the lens. -- 2. Planetary beginnings. Real estate in the cosmos -- What goes around comes around -- Time to fill the pantry. -- 3. Enter human ingenuity. From genes to ingenuity -- Tools, fire, and words -- Forager to farmer. -- 4. Conundrums of settled life. The great irony -- Bottleneck from below -- Life from rivers -- Another conundrum -- Ancient China sidesteps the bottleneck -- Europe ratchets up. -- 5. Ratchets from afar. Boobies and cormorants -- Sun-powered cargo -- Traveling water. -- 6. Smash open the bottlenecks. Food from air -- Buffalo bones and buried coral -- Hatchets downstream -- Another spigot opens. -- 7. Monocultures march across the Midwest. Hybrids invade the corn belt -- Short beats tall -- In search of the soybean -- Power from the ancient sun -- More meat, less starch. -- 8. Competition for the bounty. Scarecrows to strychnine -- A better scarecrow -- Cascading consequences -- Perpetual pursuit. -- 9. The revolution goes global. From Mexico to India -- Miracles with rice -- The dark side of the revolution -- Back to the wild -- The next genetic twist. -- 10. Farmer to urbanite. Fattier and sweeter -- The planetary machinery lashes back -- The next pivots -- Into the cacophony.;"Our species' pervasive presence on the planet is the combined result of two powerful forces: earth's rich natural endowments and humanity's ability to manipulate nature. From our ability to control fire to our expertise in breeding palatable plants, from our capacity to ship fertilizer across the Atlantic to our skill in selectively tinkering with plant genomes, DeFries describes the ingenious manipulations of nature that have enabled humankind to nourish and flourish. Throughout history humans have been able to ratchet up populations, survive the hatchets that threaten the species, and pivot to a new strategy for survival"-- How an ordinary mammal manipulated nature to become technologically sophisticated city-dwellers -- and why our history points to an optimistic future in the face of environmental crisis Our species long lived on the edge of starvation. Now we produce enough food for all 7 billion of us to eat nearly 3,000 calories every day. This is such an astonishing thing in the history of life as to verge on the miraculous. The Big Ratchet is the story of how it happened, of the ratchets -- the technologies and innovations, big and small -- that propelled our species from hunters and gatherers on the savannahs of Africa to shoppers in the aisles of the supermarket. The Big Ratchet itself came in the twentieth century, when a range of technologies -- from fossil fuels to scientific plant breeding to nitrogen fertilizers -- combined to nearly quadruple our population in a century, and to grow our food supply even faster. To some, these technologies are a sign of our greatness; to others, of our hubris. MacArthur fellow and Columbia University professor Ruth DeFries argues that the debate is the wrong one to have. Limits do exist, but every limit that has confronted us, we have surpassed. That cycle of crisis and growth is the story of our history; indeed, it is the essence of The Big Ratchet . Understanding it will reveal not just how we reached this point in our history, but how we might survive it. Prologue 1: A Bird's-Eye View Civilization's Engine The Irish Pivot The Length of the Lens 2: Planetary Beginnings Real Estate in the Cosmos What Goes Around Comes Around Time to Fill the Pantry 3: Enter Human Ingenuity From Genes to Ingenuity Tools, Fire, and Words Forager to Farmer 4: Conundrums of Settled Life The Great Irony Bottleneck from Below Life from Rivers Another Conundrum Ancient China Sidesteps the Bottlenecks Europe Ratchets Up 5: Ratchets from Afar Boobies and Cormorants Sun-Powered Cargo Traveling Water 6: Smash Open the Bottlenecks. Food from AirBuffalo Bones and Buried Coral Hatchets Downstream Another Spigot Opens 7: Monocultures March Across the Midwest Hybrids Invade the Corn Belt Short Beats Tall In Search of the Soybean Power from the Ancient Sun More Meat, Less Starch 8: Competition for the Bounty Scarecrows to Strychnine A Better Scarecrow Cascading Consequences Perpetual Pursuit 9: The Revolution Goes Global From Mexico to India Miracles with Rice The Dark Side of the Revolution Back to the Wild The Next Genetic Twist 10: Farmer to Urbanite Fattier and Sweeter. The Planetary Machinery Lashes Back The Next Pivots Into the Cacophony Acknowledgments Notes References Index. A MacArthur Genius and eminent scientist shows how an ordinary mammal manipulated nature to become a technologically sophisticated city-dweller and why our history points to an optimistic future in the face of environmental crisis.;Prologue; 1: A Bird's-Eye View; Civilization's Engine; The Irish Pivot; The Length of the Lens; 2: Planetary Beginnings; Real Estate in the Cosmos; What Goes Around Comes Around; Time to Fill the Pantry; 3: Enter Human Ingenuity; From Genes to Ingenuity; Tools, Fire, and Words; Forager to Farmer; 4: Conundrums of Settled Life; The Great Irony; Bottleneck from Below; Life from Rivers; Another Conundrum; Ancient China Sidesteps the Bottlenecks; Europe Ratchets Up; 5: Ratchets from Afar; Boobies and Cormorants; Sun-Powered Cargo; Traveling Water; 6: Smash Open the Bottlenecks. Our Species' Pervasive Presence On The Planet Is The Combined Result Of Two Powerful Forces: Earth's Rich Natural Endowments And Humanity's Ability To Manipulate Nature. From Our Ability To Control Fire To Our Expertise In Breeding Palatable Plants, From Our Capacity To Ship Fertilizer Across The Atlantic To Our Skill In Selectively Tinkering With Plant Genomes, Defries Describes The Ingenious Manipulations Of Nature That Have Enabled Humankind To Nourish And Flourish-- A Bird's-eye View -- Planetary Beginnings -- Enter Human Ingenuity -- Conundrums Of Settled Life -- Ratchets From Afar -- Smash Open The Bottlenecks -- Monocultures March Across The Midwest -- Competition For The Bounty -- The Revolution Goes Global -- Farmer To Urbanite. Ruth Defries. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Our species' pervasive presence on the planet is the combined result of two powerful forces: earth's rich natural endowments and humanity's ability to manipulate nature. From our ability to control fire to our expertise in breeding palatable plants, from our capacity to ship fertilizer across the Atlantic to our skill in selectively tinkering with plant genomes, DeFries describes the ingenious manipulations of nature that have enabled humankind to nourish and flourish. Throughout history humans have been able to ratchet up populations, survive the hatchets that threaten the species, and pivot to a new strategy for survival."--Publisher information "Our species' pervasive presence on the planet is the combined result of two powerful forces: earth's rich natural endowments and humanity's ability to manipulate nature. From our ability to control fire to our expertise in breeding palatable plants, from our capacity to ship fertilizer across the Atlantic to our skill in selectively tinkering with plant genomes, DeFries describes the ingenious manipulations of nature that have enabled humankind to nourish and flourish. Throughout history humans have been able to ratchet up populations, survive the hatchets that threaten the species, and pivot to a new strategy for survival"-- Provided by publisher