The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization

Journalist Beiser presents a fascinating take on the importance of sand, perhaps the most common material on Earth that possesses the unique ability to transform the world in myriad ways. Sand is the key ingredient in the concrete buildings we live and work in, the asphalt roads we drive on, and the mobile phones on which we rely. Specifically, Beiser argues that the rise of the U.S. automobile was facilitated by the growth of its road system, of which sand is a major component. Our dependence on cars is now a worldwide phenomenon, and new roads are being built continually with this natural resource. Unfortunately, the most useful sand comes from environmentally sensitive areas, and the scarcity of a suitable composition has become so dire that criminal organizations worldwide steal the mineral, often putting lives at risk in their pursuit. Another troubling effect is the extremely harmful carbon footprint that transporting sand incurs; Beiser demonstrates how Middle Eastern countries import sand from as far afield as Australia.