Thermodynamics and civilization: From ancient rivers to fossil fuel energy servants

Tyler Volk

doi:10.1007/s10584-009-9595-1

Thermodynamics and civilization: From ancient rivers to fossil fuel energy servants

Tyler Volk

Biology and Genomics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Civilization can be at least partially determined by climatic constraints upon net primary productivity and heat dissipation from the human body (Kleidon 2009). I discuss how these "metabolic" limitations were historically overcome: first, because large rivers in dry regions provided water to ancient civilizations; second, because fossil fuel energy servants working externally to muscle-limited bodies have produced economic well-being in a number of world areas.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	433-438
Number of pages	6
Journal	Climatic Change
Volume	95
Issue number	3-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-009-9595-1
State	Published - Aug 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Global and Planetary Change
Atmospheric Science

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10.1007/s10584-009-9595-1

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AB - Civilization can be at least partially determined by climatic constraints upon net primary productivity and heat dissipation from the human body (Kleidon 2009). I discuss how these "metabolic" limitations were historically overcome: first, because large rivers in dry regions provided water to ancient civilizations; second, because fossil fuel energy servants working externally to muscle-limited bodies have produced economic well-being in a number of world areas.

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Thermodynamics and civilization: From ancient rivers to fossil fuel energy servants

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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