Vaclav Smil is perhaps the world's most eminent scholar and expert on energy and the role it plays in civilization. He has written over 40 books on topics including energy, environmental and population change, food production, technical innovation, risk assessment, and public policy.

 

His 2022 book How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going hit the New York Bestseller list. His new book, Invention and Innovation: A Brief History of Hype and Failure, was released in February 2023. 

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Dr. Smil is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Manitoba, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Science Academy), and a Member of the Order of Canada.