Earth

Geothermal plants could have a seismic impact on energy demand—literally.

As the gradual shift from fossil fuels to renewables gets further under way, a number of researchers are beginning to look more closely at the promise of geothermal energy.

By Rick Docksai

A geologist notes world-changing population and economic shifts.

The World in 2050: Four Forces Shaping Civilization’s Northern Future by Laurence C. Smith. Dutton. 2010. 322 pages. $26.95.

Brazil, China, or Iceland—which country’s population will grow the fastest between now and 2050?

What follows is a selection of new and forthcoming books that have been selected for inclusion in the Global Foresight Books project (www.globalforesightbooks.org) by Michael Marien. and includes titles on medicine, economics, the environment, education, business, and technology.

It’s a given that more global warming will occur later this century, says UCLA ecologist Matthew Kahn. But he’s hopeful that the consequences—fiercer storms, prolonged droughts, rising sea tides, etc.—might be manageable. This will depend on what cities and towns across the globe do now to adapt to the changing climate conditions.

By Pavlina Ilieva and Kuo Pao Lian

What if there were a better way of living? A way that was more environmentally sound, more economical, more conducive to the building of community, and didn’t require huge monetary investments? What if this new method of existence was already visible, and people were already participating in it, in places we had never thought to look?

By Dennis M. Bushnell