Podcast appearances and mentions of Vince Beiser

Donald Trump loves mining, and he would like to expand that effort in the U.S. At least one environmentalist agrees with him, to some extent: the journalist Vince Beiser. Beiser's recent book is called “Power Metal,” and it's about the rare-earth metals that power almost every electronic device and sustainable technology we use today. “A lot of people really hate it when I say this, a lot of environmentally minded folks, but I do believe we should be open to allowing more mining to happen in the United States,” he tells Elizabeth Kolbert, herself an environmental journalist of great renown. “Mining is inherently destructive, there's no getting around it, but . . . we have absolutely got to get our hands on more of these metals in order to pull off the energy transition. There's just no way to build all the E.V.s and solar panels and all the rest of it without some amount of mining.” At least in the U.S. or Canada, Beiser says, there are higher standards of safety than in many other countries. 

We're undergoing a necessary renewable energy transition. And this transition will require an enormous amount of critical metals in order to power an economy without fossil fuels. Today, the processes we use to extract these materials - from copper, nickel, lithium, and more - are causing harm to both humans and our physical environment. So what do we do about it?  In his new book, Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future, Vince Beiser argues that there are huge opportunities to make mining safer, recycle more metals, and use less energy to help lessen the burden. Though the critical metals necessary for the transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles will never come without trade-offs, it's clear we could be doing much better. In this conversation, Beiser discusses the most pressing environmental damage and human rights concerns facing critical metals and how we could start to confront the problem. We also talk about the geopolitical implications of China's dominance in the critical metals supply chain,  the scale of demand for metals, and the need for equitable solutions in the energy transition. Finally, we explore deep sea mining, the challenges and opportunities in recycling metals, the growing right to repair movement, and the importance of reducing energy consumption to help ease demand.  Vince Beiser is an award-winning journalist and author. His first book, The World in a Grain, was a finalist for the PEN / E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award and a California Book Award. His work has appeared in Wired, Harper's Magazine, The Atlantic, and The New York Times, among other publications. Read Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future Check out Vince's Substack, Power Metals As always, follow us @climatepod on Twitter and email us at theclimatepod@gmail.com. Our music is "Gotta Get Up" by The Passion Hifi, check out his music at thepassionhifi.com. Rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and more! Subscribe to our YouTube channel and our Substack, The Climate Weekly.

How good are you at predicting how things will turn out in your life? How often have you said, “If only I get this thing, I'll be happy...” or “If I lose my job, it will be a disaster…” . Generally, these kinds of predictions are wrong. Things often turn out much differently than we think they will. This episode begins by looking at why that happens. https://drhappy.com.au/2010/11/14/happiness-is-balancing-the-past-the-present-and-the-future/ Did you know that Nat King Cole's “The Christmas Song” was written on a hot summer day? Or that Brenda Lee was only 13 when she recorded “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree”? These are just a few of the things you will discover as you listen to my guest Annie Zaleski. She is an editor and music journalist who is author of the book This Is Christmas, Song by Song: The Stories Behind 100 Holiday Hits (https://amzn.to/3ZomPBn) Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels requires us to develop new sources of energy. While solar, wind, lithium batteries and other energy sources are often described as “clean” energy, they are not as clean as you might think. These alternative energies require metals and those metals must be mined and/or recycled – both of which which cause serious damage to the environment that you don't often hear talked about. Joining me to explain why this should be a concern to every one is Vince Beiser. He is an award-winning journalist who has written for Wired, Harper's, The Atlantic, and the New York Times and he is author of the book, Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future (https://amzn.to/3Vqw42v). People used to blink more than they do now. You see, when you watch screens like your computer monitor, TV or cellphone, you tend not to blink as much. And there are consequences to that. Listen as I explain the problem and what you can do to help your eyes - since you are likely not blinking enough. Source: Dr. Robert Latkany, author of The Dry Eye Remedy https://amzn.to/4ggSDi5 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! INDEED:  Get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to get your jobs more visibility at https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING  Support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.  Terms & conditions apply. AURA: Save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35-off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code SOMETHING at checkout! SHOPIFY:  Sign up for a $1 per-month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk . Go to SHOPIFY.com/sysk to grow your business – no matter what stage you're in! MINT MOBILE: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month at https://MintMobile.com/something! $45 upfront payment required (equivalent to $15/mo.).  New customers on first 3 month plan only. Additional taxes, fees, & restrictions apply. HERS: Hers is changing women's healthcare by providing access to GLP-1 weekly injections with the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as oral medication kits. Start your free online visit today at https://forhers.com/sysk DELL: It's your last chance to snag Dell Technologies' lowest prices of the year before the holidays! If you've been waiting for an AI-ready PC, this is their biggest sale of the year! Shop now at https://Dell.com/deals PROGRESSIVE: The Name Your Price tool from Progressive can help you save on car insurance! You just tell Progressive what you want to pay and get options within your budget. Try it today at https://Progressive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The transition from fossil fuels to electrical power in automobiles is placing new demands on rare earth metals. How can these resources be utilized effectively? On this episode, Vince Beiser discussed his book, Power Metal.

Writer Dava Sobel shines a spotlight on the remarkable Marie Curie in her new book, "The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science." Then, award-winning journalist Vince Beiser explores the global hunt for cobalt, lithium, nickel, copper, and other metals that power our electro-digital existence in his new book, "Power Metal: The Race for the Resources that Will Shape the Future."

Award winning journalist and author, Vince Beiser, joins us again to talk about his new book; Power Metal: The Race for the Resources that will Shape the Future. The energy transition consumes immense amounts of critical metals and minerals. What are the trade-offs being made in mining and processing them? How and where is recycling of these metals ongoing? What are the human stories and impacts behind this enormous industry and what might the solutions be to make the transition more sustainable and achievable? Vince's book is out and available in all good book stores and published by Penguin Random House. 

In POWER METAL, award-winning journalist Vince Beiser chronicles the destructive side effects that the global hunt for critical metals has on our clean energy transition, from environmental damage to political upheaval to murder. Vince Beiser is an award-winning journalist and author of “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization.” The book has been translated into five languages, was a finalist for a PEN America award and a California Book Award, and spawned a TEDx talk. Vince is currently at work on a new book, “Power Metal”, about how the materials we need for digital technology and renewable energy are causing environmental havoc, political upheaval, mayhem and murder—and how we can do better. Vince has reported from over 100 countries, states, provinces, kingdoms, occupied territories, no man's lands and disaster zones. He has exposed conditions in California's harshest prisons, trained with troops bound for Iraq, ridden with the first responders to natural disasters, and hunted down other stories from around the world for publications including Wired, The Atlantic, Harper's, Time, The Guardian, Mother Jones, Playboy, Rolling Stone, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Vince's work has been honored by Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Columbia, Medill and Missouri Graduate Schools of Journalism, and many other institutions. He has three times been part of a team that won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence, and shared in an Emmy for his work with the PBS TV series SoCal Connected. He is also a grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. ⁠https://vincebeiser.com/⁠ ⁠https://nexuspmg.com/

In the new book “Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future,” award winning journalist Vince Beiser chronicles the destructive side effects that the global hunt for critical metals has on our so-called clean energy transition.

The clean energy transition has a dirty underside. To move away from fossil fuels and toward solar, wind, batteries, and other alternative sources of energy, we have to intensify mining operations for critical minerals like lithium, copper, and cobalt. According to a Global Witness analysis of S&P Global data, copper mining will increase more than 25% between 2021 and 2028. Cobalt mining will be up more than 100%. Lithium, more than 300%. And all that mining has serious environmental and social impacts, particularly in developing countries. This week, host Bill Loveless talks with Vince Beiser about his latest book “Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future.” Vince is an author and journalist whose work has appeared in Wired, Harper's Magazine, The Atlantic, and The New York Times, among other publications. They discuss cleaning up the chase for critical minerals, advancing the clean energy transition while minimizing mining impacts globally, and what role the U.S. government can play, particularly with an incoming Trump administration.

Kath tells Pat about an unlikely duo who pulled off a scam raking in hunreds of millions of dollars: a polygamist Mormon and an Armenian gangster team up to scam the heavily subsidized renewable energy market. Much of the info in this episode was taken from a 2021 Wired Article called "The Lion, The Polygamist, ad the Biofuel Scam" by Vince Beiser. You can read it here: https://www.wired.com/story/lion-polygamist-and-biofuel-scam/ 

In this episode I sit down with Vince Beiser, whose book Power Metal: The Race for the Resources that Will Shape The Future is an incredible follow up to his book Sand: the World in a Grain. When we last caught up with Vince we plumbed the depths of sand and how, while largely unseen, it is one of the major resources our world is built on. In this conversation, Vince and I explore more unseen resources our world is increasingly dependent on: the critical metals that are powering our energy transition. We talk about how everything has a cost, about how the electro digital age, while feeling post-material, is anything but. We touch a little on the materials used in this energy transition. We have a complex conversation around reshoring mining and exploring if where we might mine next is here at home. And then we talk about recycling, repair, and real tangible solutions to what might happen next. Find Vince: Instagram: @vince.beiserSubstackX: @vincebeiserPower Metal: The Race for the Resources that Will Shape The FutureSand: the World in a GrainResources Mentioned: Washington Post on Data CentersNYT Op-Ed on Reshoring MiningThea Riofrancos on Novara FMFight to Repair NewsletterSponsored By:REDMOND REAL SALTMine to Table Salt from Utah, Redmond Real Salt is packed full of 60+ Trace Minerals and is a staple in my kitchen. Find their salt, Re-Lyte Hydration Powder, and so much more here. Use code MINDBODYSOIL_15 for 15% off!redmond.lifeFIELD COMPANY CAST IRONUSA made cast iron. Light, thin bottomed, and smooth - just like vintage cast iron. My go to for everything from small skillets to big dutch ovens. fieldcompany.com/kate_kavanaughBAHÉ FOOTWEARBarefoot, zero-drop, gorgeous running shoes, sandals, and hiking boots that are grounded. Meaning you can reap all the benefits of the electron flow from earth to your body while you're getting in your steps. Use the code ‘Kate10' for 10% off. Support the Podcast:SubstackLeave a one-time TipConnect with Kate:

In this episode, Armen Shirvanian interviews Vince Beiser, author of ‘Power Metal’, discussing the critical role of metals in the energy transition and the environmental and geopolitical implications of resource extraction. The conversation explores the increasing demand for metals like copper and lithium, the destructive practices of mining, and the dominance of China in the […]

As the world goes electric, drilling for fossil fuels will increasingly be replaced by digging for metals. Journalist and author Vince Beiser joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the increased demand for cobalt, nickel, copper and other metals to fuel everything from batteries to the wires that transfer energy – and how access to those resources feeds geopolitical relationships. His book is “Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future.”

In this week's episode Robert talks to Vince Beiser about his latest book “Power Metal: The Race for Resources Shaping Our Future” which gives us an insight into the global competition for essential minerals, like lithium, cobalt and copper, needed for technologies like renewable energy and the internet. We hear about the challenges of sourcing and recycling these metals, as well as the consequences of our dependence on them. @fullychargedshow @everythingelectricshow   This podcast was brought to you by OVO's Charge Anywhere. Power your next journey with peace of mind by downloading the OVO Charge app today: https://bit.ly/charge_anywhere   Why not come and join us at our next Everything Electric expo: https://everythingelectric.show   Check out our sister channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingElectricShow   Support our StopBurningStuff campaign: https://www.patreon.com/STOPBurningStuff   Become a Fully Charged SHOW Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fullychargedshow   Become a YouTube member: use JOIN button above   Buy the Fully Charged Guide to Electric Vehicles & Clean Energy : https://buff.ly/2GybGt0   Subscribe for episode alerts and the Fully Charged newsletter: https://fullycharged.show/zap-sign-up/   Visit: https://FullyCharged.Show   Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fullychargedshw   Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/fullychargedshow   To partner, exhibit or sponsor at our award-winning expos email: commercial@fullycharged.show   Everything Electric AUSTRALIA NSW - Sydney Showground - 7th, 8th & 9th March 2025 Everything Electric LONDON (UK) - ExCel - 16th, 17th & 18th April 2025 Everything Electric CANADA - Vancouver Convention Center - 5th, 6th & 7th September 2025 Everything Electric SOUTH (UK) - Farnborough International - 10th, 11th & 12th October 2025 Everything Electric AUSTRALIA VIC  - 14th, 15th & 16th November 2025    

The push to harness renewable energy sources like wind and solar has sparked a massive demand for critical metals such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium, according to journalist Vince Beiser. To meet this demand, intensive mining operations are underway in regions like China, Chile, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), extracting rare metals needed for solar panels, electric vehicles, smartphones, and the infrastructure that supports them. In his new book, “Power Metal: The Race for Resources That Will Shape the Future,” Beiser explores the “terrifying” scale of metal extraction our electro-digital age requires and the global environmental and public health crises it may trigger. Beiser joins us. Guests: Vince Beiser, journalist; author of “Power Metal: The Race for Resources That Will Shape the Future”

Journalist Vince Beiser looked at how the race to mine metals and other natural resources needed in technology & renewable energy is impacting geopolitics and the environment. He was interviewed by Wall Street Journal global metals and mining reporter Julie Steinberg.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist Vince Beiser looked at how the race to mine metals and other natural resources needed in technology & renewable energy is impacting geopolitics and the environment. He was interviewed by Wall Street Journal global metals and mining reporter Julie Steinberg.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're talking about a key piece of the global transition to renewable energy: metals. Specifically, metals like copper, lithium and cobalt that we need to build wind turbines, electric vehicles and to improve our energy grid. Vince Beiser, author of the forthcoming book “Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future,” said we’ll need hundreds of millions more tons of these metals. But mining them comes at a cost. On the show today, Beiser explains the environmental and social consequences of mining for these metals, China’s dominance over the supply chain, and ways to make the transition to renewables more fair. Plus, why mining in space is a pipe dream, at least for now. Then, we’ll get into how the U.S. dairy industry could be upended if former President Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations took place. And, how one listener makes voting a party. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Green Economy Is Hungry for Copper—and People Are Stealing, Fighting, and Dying to Feed It” from Wired “Mining Critical to Renewable Energy Tied to Hundreds of Alleged Human Rights Abuses” from Inside Climate News “How does the environmental impact of mining for clean energy metals compare to mining for coal, oil and gas?” from MIT Climate Portal “The Indispensable Industry: Mining's Role in the Energy Transition and the Americas” from the Center for Strategic and International Studies “What a Crackdown on Immigration Could Mean for Cheap Milk” from The New York Times “Trump’s economic plans would worsen inflation, experts say” from AP News “Boeing to Sell at Least $10 Billion in Shares to Plug Cash Drain” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today we're talking about a key piece of the global transition to renewable energy: metals. Specifically, metals like copper, lithium and cobalt that we need to build wind turbines, electric vehicles and to improve our energy grid. Vince Beiser, author of the forthcoming book “Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future,” said we’ll need hundreds of millions more tons of these metals. But mining them comes at a cost. On the show today, Beiser explains the environmental and social consequences of mining for these metals, China’s dominance over the supply chain, and ways to make the transition to renewables more fair. Plus, why mining in space is a pipe dream, at least for now. Then, we’ll get into how the U.S. dairy industry could be upended if former President Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations took place. And, how one listener makes voting a party. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Green Economy Is Hungry for Copper—and People Are Stealing, Fighting, and Dying to Feed It” from Wired “Mining Critical to Renewable Energy Tied to Hundreds of Alleged Human Rights Abuses” from Inside Climate News “How does the environmental impact of mining for clean energy metals compare to mining for coal, oil and gas?” from MIT Climate Portal “The Indispensable Industry: Mining's Role in the Energy Transition and the Americas” from the Center for Strategic and International Studies “What a Crackdown on Immigration Could Mean for Cheap Milk” from The New York Times “Trump’s economic plans would worsen inflation, experts say” from AP News “Boeing to Sell at Least $10 Billion in Shares to Plug Cash Drain” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Today we're talking about a key piece of the global transition to renewable energy: metals. Specifically, metals like copper, lithium and cobalt that we need to build wind turbines, electric vehicles and to improve our energy grid. Vince Beiser, author of the forthcoming book “Power Metal: The Race for the Resources That Will Shape the Future,” said we’ll need hundreds of millions more tons of these metals. But mining them comes at a cost. On the show today, Beiser explains the environmental and social consequences of mining for these metals, China’s dominance over the supply chain, and ways to make the transition to renewables more fair. Plus, why mining in space is a pipe dream, at least for now. Then, we’ll get into how the U.S. dairy industry could be upended if former President Donald Trump’s plan for mass deportations took place. And, how one listener makes voting a party. Here’s everything we talked about today: “The Green Economy Is Hungry for Copper—and People Are Stealing, Fighting, and Dying to Feed It” from Wired “Mining Critical to Renewable Energy Tied to Hundreds of Alleged Human Rights Abuses” from Inside Climate News “How does the environmental impact of mining for clean energy metals compare to mining for coal, oil and gas?” from MIT Climate Portal “The Indispensable Industry: Mining's Role in the Energy Transition and the Americas” from the Center for Strategic and International Studies “What a Crackdown on Immigration Could Mean for Cheap Milk” from The New York Times “Trump’s economic plans would worsen inflation, experts say” from AP News “Boeing to Sell at Least $10 Billion in Shares to Plug Cash Drain” from The Wall Street Journal We love to hear from you. Email your comments and questions to makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Sand. It's everywhere and it's foundational to the built and digital worlds, yet we rarely see or think about it. Vince Beiser's the World in a Grain tells the story of sand as it makes its way into the materials that make up our world: concrete, glass, silicon chips, and beyond. In this episode of the podcast, we explore some of the broader implications of sand - what it means to build worlds, how to grapple with the largesse of sand's impact as we run out of this critical resource, and what, if anything, we can change in our relationship to sand. It's about infrastructure, but it's also about our relationship to infrastructure and how often the use of more resources begets the use of… more resources. We dive a little into the magic of sand, not just to house and transport us, but also the creation of the lens and how sand allows us to see things really small, really far away, and also really everyday - through glasses. We also talk about time, which sand is a measurement for and also a manifestation of, with the average grain of sand created over 200 million years. This is a conversation that will change the way you see and relate to your world. Find Vince:World in a Grain: the Story of Sand and How It Transformed CivilizationPower Metal NewsletterX: @VinceBeiserWebsiteBooks Mentioned:Crossings and Eager by Ben GoldfarbNinety Percent of Everything with Rose GeorgeOther Episodes of Interest:With Ben GoldfarbSolo on InfrastructureSupport the Podcast:SubstackLeave a one-time TipConnect with Kate:Instagramemail: kate@groundworkcollective.comCurrent Discounts for MBS listeners:15% off Farm True ghee and body care products using code: KATEKAV1510% off Home of Wool using code KATEKAVANAUGHKateK20 for 20% off Herbal Face Food

Vince Beiser is an award-winning journalist and author of “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization.” The book has been translated into five languages, was a finalist for a PEN America award and a California Book Award, and spawned a TEDx talk. Vince is currently at work on a new book, “Power Metal”, about how the materials we need for digital technology and renewable energy are causing environmental havoc, political upheaval, mayhem and murder—and how we can do better. Vince has reported from over 100 countries, states, provinces, kingdoms, occupied territories, no man's lands and disaster zones. He has exposed conditions in California's harshest prisons, trained with troops bound for Iraq, ridden with the first responders to natural disasters, and hunted down other stories from around the world for publications including Wired, The Atlantic, Harper's, Time, The Guardian, Mother Jones, Playboy, Rolling Stone, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Vince's work has been honored by Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Columbia, Medill and Missouri Graduate Schools of Journalism, and many other institutions. He has three times been part of a team that won the National Magazine Award for General Excellence, and shared in an Emmy for his work with the PBS TV series SoCal Connected. He is also a grantee of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. https://vincebeiser.com/ https://nexuspmg.com/

Sand has transformed modern civilization. It is the ubiquitous commodity; in our infrastructure, in our industry and even in our personal care products.  Yet due to its characteristics, the supply chain is fragmented, disastrous for our environment and often corrupt. And by a tragic quirk of geometry, desert sand is unusable meaning we wreck our riverbeds and oceans to acquire it. In this episode, author and journalist Vince Beiser joins us to discuss sand and its role in the modern world. Vince is the author of The World in a Grain - the story of sand and how it transformed civilization. 

Challenging The Gender Gap In Sports ScienceThis weekend, Spain and England face off in the Women's World Cup Finals in Sydney, Australia.The first Women's World Cup was in 1991, and the games were only 80 minutes, compared to the 90-minute games played by men. Part of the rationale was that women just weren't tough enough to play a full 90 minutes of soccer.This idea of women as the “weaker sex” is everywhere in early scientific studies of athletic performance. Sports science was mainly concerned with men's abilities. Even now, most participants in sports science research are men.Luckily things are changing, and more girls and women are playing sports than ever before. There's a little more research about women too, as well as those who fall outside the gender binary.SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with Christine Yu, a health and sports journalist and author of Up To Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes, about the gap in sport science about women. Using Stem Cells For Cornea Repair Is Worth A LookEach year in the US, over 40,000 people receive transplants of the cornea—the clear front part of the eye that light goes through first. Still more patients with damaged corneas might receive artificial corneas to help restore clear vision. But if an eye has been damaged by a chemical burn or another severe eye injury, neither of those treatments may be possible.Now an early, Phase 1 clinical trial is reporting positive results using a stem cell technique called CALEC. It grows cells from a patient's healthy eye, and then grafts them back into the damaged eye, either to support corneal tissue regrowth or as a foundation for a traditional transplant. Dr. Ula Jurkunas, associate director of the Cornea Service at Mass Eye and Ear, and   Dr. Jerome Ritz, the executive director of the Connell and O'Reilly Families Cell Manipulation Core Facility at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, join Ira to talk about how the process works, and the challenges of manufacturing stem cell tissues in the lab for use in the human body.From Skyscrapers to Sand Thieves—Digging Into The World Of SandWhen you think of sand, thoughts of the ocean and sand castles probably come to mind. But sand can be found in much more than beachfronts. Sand is a key ingredient in concrete for skyscrapers, silicon for computer chips, and the glass for your smartphone.Vince Beiser, journalist and author of the book The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization, traveled to sand mines in India and beach nourishment projects around the world to follow the story of how sand has become a vital resource. He talks about the many uses of sand in our everyday lives and some of the consequences that come from our dependence on this natural resource.To stay updated on all-things-science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.Transcripts for each segment will be available the week after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

Mining the deep: Join Shorewords host, Lesley Ewing, in conversation with Vince Beiser, author and journalist, is a conversation about his April 2023 Wired article – “The Mining Industry's Next Frontier is Deep, Deep Under the Sea”.  As the automotive industry gears up for EVs, mining companies are searching for the metals needed for energy storage. Deep sea mining of polymetallic nodules is happening through small pilot studies and large-scale mineral extraction could start in just a few years. Vince discusses what we know about the deep-sea mining areas, the species that dwell there and both the range of disturbances from mining efforts and possible gains.

“Hundreds of people have been murdered over sand in the last few years. Even though most of us barely ever think about it, sand is actually the most used natural resource in the world after air and water.” In this episode, we welcome journalist Vince Beiser, the author of The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization. Vince guides us in an exploration of sand as a natural resource and the ways in which its extraction and exploitation, quite literally, upholds structures of modern civilization. Exposing the multi-layered histories, uses of, and even violence that ensues around sand as a resource, Vince calls for an exploration of diverse, plural models that include but are not solely dependent on sand as an infrastructural material. How does unveiling the economy of sand, in turn, speak to landscapes of injustice, where the clearness of glass as end products juxtaposes the outsourced pollution that exits their factories? And how might our questioning of “how and why” sand is culled into our lives turn our attention to the literal and metaphorical cracks that splinter the seemingly indestructible foundations of the project of modernity? This episode was brought to you by our supporting listeners. Join us on Patreon to help us keep our show alive: www.greendreamer.com/support (The musical offering featured in this episode At the Edge of It by Oropendola.)

Join Lesley Ewing, host of Shorewords!, as she catches up with acclaimed author Vince Beiser at the Berkeley Book Festival to discuss his eye-opening book, The World in a Grain. Vince, a finalist for the prestigious PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award and a California Book Award recipient, delves into the surprising world of sand, revealing its vital role in shaping our environment, technology, and economy. With a rich history of contributions to renowned publications such as Wired, Harper's, The Atlantic, and the New York Times, Vince shares his insights and discoveries on this often-overlooked yet indispensable resource. Don't miss this fascinating conversation that will forever change how you view sand and its place in our world!

Miki Mistrati (@MrMistrati) is the award-winning director of three international documentaries exposing brutal trafficking and illegal child labor in the multi-billion dollar chocolate industry: The Chocolate War, The Shady Chocolate Business, and The Dark Side of Chocolate. What We Discuss with Miki Mistrati: How human trafficking, child slavery, and inhumane treatment likely contribute to the production of your favorite chocolate products. Why, nearly two decades after pledging to eradicate child labor, major chocolate companies still cannot identify the farms where all their cocoa comes from, let alone if child labor was used in producing it. How the biggest chocolate companies wield their billions of dollars in profits to keep legislation that would hold them accountable at bay. What we, as consumers, can do to effectively censure these companies and help the people they exploit. How to ensure the chocolate we enjoy is ethically and sustainably sourced. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/754 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Miss the show we did with Vince Beiser — author of The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization? Make sure to check out episode 97: Vince Beiser | Why Sand Is More Important Than You Think It Is! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

We might not realize it but sand is in just about everything! And, it's becoming scarcer. Where is all the sand going? What could we replace it with? And, how do the sands by the beach and the sands in the desert differ? Mike digs for answers with Vince Beiser, independent journalist and author of "The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization." Got questions? Email Mike at ivegotquestions@audacy.com

Juliet and Erik are joined by Agnieszka Joniak-Lüthi and Zarina Urmanbetova of Roadwork Asia to discuss China's road infrastructure projects in Central Asia and their research at Roadwork Asia, including their article on infrastructural connections across the Toghuz-Toro district of central Kyrgystan Welcome and Unwelcome Connections: Travelling Post-Soviet Roads in Kyrgyzstan.Agnieszka Joniak-Lüthi is a professor of social anthropology at the University of Fribourg and head of the ROADWORK project. She focuses on China and the Sino-Central Asian borderlands. Her recent research explores the nexus of transport infrastructure, settler colonialism, and processes of state territorialization in northwest China. She has also expanded her research into infrastructure maintenance and how temporalities of materials, investment, discourses, government agendas, ecosystems, and humans affect the social life of infrastructure in the Sino-Central Asian borderlands.Zarina Urmanbetova is a social anthropologist from Kyrgyzstan. She has worked on projects for UN Women Kyrgyzstan, Urban Initiatives, the Research Institute of Islamic Studies in Bishkek, and the Analytical Center Polis Asia. She holds a BA from the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University and a MA in social anthropology from Hacettepe University in Turkey. At ROADWORK, she focuses on the social and cultural life of roads in central Kyrgyzstan. Recommendations:Agnieszka Roadsides,  an open-access journal designated to be a forum devoted to exploring the social, cultural, and political life of infrastructureBelt & Road in Global Perspective, a project of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of TorontoZarina14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible documentary on NetflixErikBish Bosch album by Scott WalkerJulietHow Sand Mining Threatens a Way of Life in Southeast Asia. National Geographic. Photos & reporting by Sim Chi Yin, writing by Vince Beiser. March 2018.Satellites Spy on Sand Mining in the Mekong by Alka Tripathy-Lang, Dec 2021. The Messy Business of Sand Mining Explained. Marco Hernandez, Simon Scarr, Katie Daigle. Feb 2021. 

The World in a grain : The story of Sand and how it Transformed Civilization by Vince Beiser is a finalist for the PENE O Wilson Literary science writing award

Nigdy wcześniej w historii tylu ludzi nie mieszkało w miastach co dziś. Postęp sprawił że potrafimy w coraz szybszym tempie wznosić coraz wyższe budynki. Skutki uboczne postępu powodują, że w coraz szybszym tempie rozrastają się dzielnice biedy – slumsy. Co w przyszłości będzie miarą innowacji? Futurystyczne budowle sięgające nieba i miasta wznoszone na sztucznych wyspach? Czy miasta, które będą odpowiedzią na największe wyzwania współczesności – pogłębiające się nierówności i kryzys klimatyczny? Kto będzie zarządzał miastami przyszłości? Ich mieszkańcy czy biznesmeni? A może w przyszłości miasta przestaną istnieć, bo nie będziemy ich mieli z czego zbudować? W odcinku występują: Vince Beiser – amerykański dziennikarz, autor książki „World in the Grain” czyli „Świat w ziarenku” Profesor Sarah Moser z McGuill University w Montrealu, autorka "Atlasu nowych miast" Carolyn Steel, brytyjska pisarka, autorka książki „Sitopia. Jak jedzenie może ocalić świat" Jorge Perez Jaramillo – architekt z Medellin w Kolumbii Marta Thorne - amerykańska architektka, przez lata dyrektor biura Nagrody Pritzkera Zbigniew Maćków - polski architekt Michał Wiśniewski – historyk sztuki i architekt z Międzynarodowego Centrum Kultury w Krakowie Scenariusz i nagrania: Anna Dudzińska Opracowanie: Agata Kasprolewicz Realizacja: Kris Wawrzak, studio "Efektura" Partner Raportu z przyszłości: https://incredibleinspirations.com

Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) is the chairman of VaynerX, the active CEO of VaynerMedia, and the author of several bestselling books, including #AskGaryVee: One Entrepreneur's Take on Leadership, Social Media, and Self-Awareness. What We Discuss with Gary Vaynerchuk: With so many platforms at his disposal, why does Gary continue to write books? Where does a workaholic like Gary stand on the concept of work/life balance? When do we quit if something isn’t working? How do you know if you’re hard-wired to be an entrepreneur? How do we balance the hunger required to achieve Plan A while not taking too much comfort in Plan B? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/597 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Miss the show we did with Vince Beiser — author of The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization? Make sure to check out episode 97: Vince Beiser | Why Sand Is More Important Than You Think It Is! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

The three natural resources humans consume most are water, air... and sand.  Vince Beiser is an award-winning journalist and author who has been featured in Wired, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Rolling Stone. His first book, The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization, illustrates why sand is so crucial to modern life. It's the ingredient that makes possible our cities, our science, our lives – and our future.Beiser joins Niko Woischnik to talk about sand's profound importance across the globe and the serious human and environmental costs caused by our dependence on it. Additionally, he delves into some of his past reporting, including on soldiers training for the Iraq War and pop-up clinics in Mexico offering psychedelic therapy. //Looking to level up or enter a new field? Join TOA Klub for cohort-based learning. Four Klubs to chose from, each including Masterclasses, AMA's, and peer-to-peer learning. Apply now: toaklub.comSubscribe to our NL (go.toaklub.com/toaoa-nl), follow us on Instagram (@toaberlin), Twitter (@toaberlin), Linkedin (toa-berlin) and Facebook (TechOpenAir).Support the show (https://paypal.me/TechOpenGmbH?locale.x=en_US)Support the show (https://paypal.me/TechOpenGmbH?locale.x=en_US)

Autor: Marmit, Jochen Sendung: Andruck - Das Magazin für Politische Literatur Hören bis: 19.01.2038 04:14

Sand - eine wichtige und knapp werdende Ressource für die moderne Welt. Rezension von Gerhard Klas. übersetzt von Bernhard Jendricke, Christa Prummer-Lehmair, Gerlinde Schermer-Rauwolf Oekom Verlag 2021, 320 Seiten, 26 Euro ISBN 978-3-96238-245-2

On this episode of the Get Lit Podcast, show host Teddy Rockefeller brings AJ DiChiara, a well versed expert on sand mining, to discuss the global blight of “sand mafias”. Bibliography: Abdulali and the stolen beach story:https://theecologist.org/2018/feb/08/they-stole-beach-major-mafia-almost-nobody-wants-talk-about (Links to an external site.) More information on sand mining and its global effects:https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/jul/01/riddle-of-the-sands-the-truth-behind-stolen-beaches-and-dredged-islands (Links to an external site.)Information on the rising groups of “sand mafias”:https://www.eco-business.com/news/sand-mining-mafias-destroying-environment-livelihoods-un/#:~:text=Sand%20extraction%20has%20increased%20pollution,severity%20of%20landslides%20and%20drought (Links to an external site.).Investigating the world shortage of sand:https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191108-why-the-world-is-running-out-of-sand (Links to an external site.)More on Vince Beiser's book and Ted Talk about sand mining and mafias:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/illegal-sand-trade-india-mafia-murders-vince-beiser/11779570 (Links to an external site.)Environmental effects of sand mining:https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/05/world-needs-get-serious-about-managing-sand-says-un-report (Links to an external site.)UN report on sand mining:https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/rising-demand-sand-calls-resource-governance (Links to an external site.)French couple stealing sand from Sardinia: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/sardinia-sand-theft-arrest-scli-intl/index.html (Links to an external site.)Global tensions rising and Antonio Guterres quote: https://apnews.com/article/6c0d437d14da8f91fd578f003a88cf7a (Links to an external site.)Music Credits:Hells Bells by ACDChttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCzRXx1DA_U (Links to an external site.) [FREE] Lo-fi type beat - Lighter | lofi hiphop beat by midsummerBeethoven's 5th symphony orchestrahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGNYFVgpEYY (Links to an external site.)Inquisitive - Free Background Music by WillSurj Musichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2jiAEMBCtE (Links to an external site.)Travis Scott - goosebumps ft. Kendrick Lamar (Lofi Remix) [1hour] by Travis Scott and edited by Music of Fortune

How did a massive, devastating fire lead to the rebirth of one of our oldest building materials: concrete? Host Kevin O'Connor speaks with author and journalist Vince Beiser and assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering Admir Masic about concrete in the ancient world, how it came into our modern world, and the mystery of why it wasn’t used for a thousand years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unsere Welt ist auf Sand gebaut, denn als Grundstoff von Beton steckt Sand in fast allen Gebäuden und Straßen. Auch für die Produktion von Computerchips, Papier und Zahnpasta ist er notwendig. Sand ermöglicht unseren heutigen Lebensstil, daher ist er in geeigneter Qualität längst Mangelware – und die Redewendung »wie Sand am Meer« irreführend. Der vielfach ausgezeichnete amerikanische Journalist Vince Beiser nimmt uns mit in das Reich des Sandes, zu seinen Quellen, Einsatzmöglichkeiten und zu den Konflikten um seine Förderung. Er erzählt die fesselnde Geschichte eines Stoffes, ohne den unser modernes Leben nicht möglich wäre – und zeigt auf, was uns droht, wenn er ausgeht.

Vince Beiser joined me on the podcast recently. He is the author of The World In A Grain: The Story Of Sand.Sand is the most important solid substance on Earth. It is not an exaggeration to assert that without it we don't have our modern civilisation.Sand is the building block of modernity. It is the foundational input for cement, glass and even silicon, the stuff that builds our computer chips. Without sand, we cannot construct the awesome buildings that we do. We would not have the wonderful aesthetics and functionality of glass that we have. And we would, one could argue most importantly, not even be able to produce the semi-conductors which are so integral to our computers and therefore modern civilisation."Sand is to cities, what flour is to bread" Vince Beiser, author of the book - The World In A Grain: The Story Of Sand.Jump In On My Newsletter

Now What talks with Vince Beiser, author of The World in a Grain about what's led to a massive shortage in sand worldwide, and what we can do about it.

Now What talks with Vince Beiser, author of The World in a Grain about what's led to a massive shortage in sand worldwide, and what we can do about it.

This week, we talk to Vince Beiser, author of the book The World in a Grain of Sand and Arora Torres, fellow at the Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium) & Michigan State University about the global sand trade and shortage. Hosted by James Haines Young.

Martin VanTrieste of Civica RX on generic drugs. Isaac Weiner of The Ohio State Univ and Amy DeRogatis of Michigan State on the American Religious Sounds Project. Vince Beiser on "The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization." Heide Lukosch of the Univ of Canterbury on games and disasters. Andy Davis of Univ of Georgia on monarch butterflies in captivity. Cheedy Jaja of the Univ of South Carolina on trauma and healthcare workers.

Vince Beiser is a journalist and author of the book "The World In A Grain: The Story Of Sand And How It Transformed Civilization". This is a fascinating and eye-opening book about one the most important, but often underreported on, resources in the world - sand. I, like most people, never really thought about the importance of sand and what a pivotal role it has played in our history, our technological advancement, and in modern society. Vince's book and conversation on the podcast taught me the pivotal, and surprising, role sand plays in our everyday life. Nowadays, with an abundance of information at our fingertips, it's not common that something stands out as so underreported. Vince has uncovered a story that was not told - and shared it with the world in a fascinating and informative way. I had a great time chatting with Vince about the history of sand, how it came to be so important, how we need to conserve it - and, now, our need to offer alternative options. Enjoy the podcast! Vince's Home Page - https://vincebeiser.com/ Vince's Twitter - https://twitter.com/vincebeiser Comments, requests or questions please reach out, my email - roybntz@gmail.com

Vince Beiser is an award-winning science reporter with an unexpected beat: he chronicles the many ways sand affects our daily lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vince Beiser is an award-winning journalist based in Los Angeles. Vince has reported from over 100 countries, states, provinces, kingdoms, occupied territories, liberated areas, no man's lands and disaster zones.   He has exposed conditions in California's harshest prisons, trained with troops bound for Iraq, ridden with the first responders to disasters in Haiti and Nepal and hunted down other stories from around the world for publications including Wired, The Atlantic, Harper's, The Guardian, GQ (UK), The Nation, Mother Jones, Playboy, Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times.   Vince has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows on CBS, BBC, NPR and other networks, and on many panel discussions and lectures.   If you enjoyed this episode, please consider to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than 60 seconds and it really makes a difference. Rate, review, and subscribe at HardyHaberland.com/iTunes.

Vince Beiser is an award-winning journalist based in Los Angeles. Vince has reported from over 100 countries, states, provinces, kingdoms, occupied territories, liberated areas, no man's lands and disaster zones.   He has exposed conditions in California's harshest prisons, trained with troops bound for Iraq, ridden with the first responders to disasters in Haiti and Nepal and hunted down other stories from around the world for publications including Wired, The Atlantic, Harper's, The Guardian, GQ (UK), The Nation, Mother Jones, Playboy, Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times.   Vince has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows on CBS, BBC, NPR and other networks, and on many panel discussions and lectures.   Brought to you by Haberland Group (HaberlandGroup.com) and Hardy Haberland's Programs (HardyHaberland.com).   This podcast is brought to you by Haberland Group. Haberland Group is a global provider of marketing solutions. With multidisciplinary teams in major world markets, our holding companies specialize in advertising, branding, communications planning, digital marketing, media, podcasting, public relations, as well as specialty marketing. If you are looking for a world-class partner to work on marketing programs, go to HaberlandGroup.com and contact us.   This podcast is also brought to you by Hardy Haberland's Programs. Hardy provides educational programs for high performers who want world-class achievement, true fulfillment, and lasting transformation in their lives. He also provides consulting for established brands and businesses that have generated a minimum of $3 million in annual sales. If you need a catalyst for transformation and a strategist for success at the highest level, go to HardyHaberland.com and apply.   If you enjoyed this episode, please consider to rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than 60 seconds and it really makes a difference. Rate, review, and subscribe at HardyHaberland.com/iTunes.

Sand is so tiny and ubiquitous that it's easy to take for granted. But in his book The World in a Grain, author Vince Beiser traces the history of sand, exploring how it fundamentally shaped the world as we know it. "Sand is actually the most important solid substance on Earth," he argues. "It's the literal foundation of modern civilization." Plus, Roman talks with Kate Simonen of the Carbon Leadership Forum at the University of Washington about measuring the embodied carbon in building materials. Built on Sand

Sand is so tiny and ubiquitous that it's easy to take for granted. But in his book The World in a Grain, author Vince Beiser traces the history of sand, exploring how it fundamentally shaped the world as we know it. "Sand is actually the most important solid substance on Earth," he argues. "It's the literal foundation of modern civilization." Plus, Roman talks with Kate Simonen of the Carbon Leadership Forum at the University of Washington about measuring the embodied carbon in building materials. Built on Sand

On this episode of Shorewords!, host Lesley Ewing meets up with Vince Beiser at the Berkeley Book Festival to discuss his book The World in a Grain, which earned him the rank of finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award and a California Book Award. His work has appeared in Wired, Harper’s, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, and the New York Times, among other publications.

Sand is one of the overlooked natural resources of the world, and is a huge part of the cities that we live and transport around in. In his book The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization, journalist Vince Beiser speaks to the importance of this resource, as well … Continue reading "217: Vince Beiser | How Sand Served As A Natural Resource That Transformed Civilization" The post 217: Vince Beiser | How Sand Served As A Natural Resource That Transformed Civilization appeared first on The Armen Show.

Unless we’re relaxing on it at the beach, or kicking it out of our shoes, we probably don’t think too much about sand. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Sand is a vital ingredient in concrete. And glass. And asphalt. It makes our modern, urban life possible. And our hunger for it is causing more and more trouble. Vince Beiser, author of The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization, explains why sand matters, and how the quest to extract more of it is shaping the world.  

Learn about microvacations, a trick for actually using your vacation days even when you’re super busy; the science behind why darkness is actually faster than the speed of light; and why sand is one of the most valuable resources in human civilization — and why we’re running out of it — with some help from Vince Beiser, author of “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization.” In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com — and learn about sand from author Vince Beiser — to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: To Stay Sane at Work, Try Taking Microvacations — https://curiosity.im/2MqE5mN Darkness Is Faster Than the Speed of Light — https://curiosity.im/2MxkfGF Pick up Vince Beiser’s book, “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization,” on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2BvCDas If you love our show and you're interested in hearing full-length interviews, then please consider supporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive episodes and access to our archives as soon as you become a Patron! https://www.patreon.com/curiositydotcom Learn about these topics and more on Curiosity.com, and download our 5-star app for Android and iOS. Then, join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Plus: Amazon smart speaker users, enable our Alexa Flash Briefing to learn something new in just a few minutes every day!

Learn about a new discovery into how the pyramids were built; why spouses who are also best friends see the most health and happiness benefits; and why we don’t just make more sand, with some help from a special guest, author Vince Beiser. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com — and learn about sand from author Vince Beiser — to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: We May Finally Know How the Pyramids Were Built — https://curiosity.im/2EdWVsI Spouses Who View Each Other as Best Friends Are Much Happier in Life — https://curiosity.im/2EaSi2w Visit https://amzn.to/2BYF6O0 to pick up Vince Beiser’s book, “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization,” on Amazon. It’s free with your Audible trial, and if you choose to make a purchase using this link, then Curiosity gets a share of the sale! If you love our show and you're interested in hearing full-length interviews, then please consider supporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive episodes and access to our archives as soon as you become a Patron! https://www.patreon.com/curiositydotcom Learn about these topics and more on Curiosity.com, and download our 5-star app for Android and iOS. Then, join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Plus: Amazon smart speaker users, enable our Alexa Flash Briefing to learn something new in just a few minutes every day!

Journalist Vince Beiser is joined in conversation by CIIS Professor Jacob Sherman to explore the compelling true story of a hugely important and diminishing natural resource: sand.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined in-studio by journalist Vince Beiser to talk about his new book, “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization.” They discuss the surprising and fascinating history of sand, from its foundational role in society to its dealings as a black market commodity. Follow Vince: @vincelb.

In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined in-studio by journalist Vince Beiser to talk about his new book, “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization.” They discuss the surprising and fascinating history of sand, from its foundational role in society to its dealings as a black market commodity. Follow Vince: @vincelb.

Unless we’re relaxing on it at the beach, or kicking it out of our shoes, we probably don’t think too much about sand. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Sand is a vital ingredient in concrete. And glass. And asphalt. It makes our modern, urban life possible. And our hunger for it is causing more and more trouble. Vince Beiser, author of “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization,” explains why sand matters, and how the quest to extract more of it is shaping the world.  

Someday soon, you might be finally able to count all the grains of sand on the beach, because there might be no beaches—and no sand—left. With the global population and its attendant consumption booming, we’re running out of sand in our quest to build larger cities and better smartphones. This essential resource, so easy to overlook, ranks just below air and water on a global scale of how much we use. But as journalist Vince Beiser explains in his new book, The World in a Grain, its over-extraction is harming us, whether in the form of murder in the black markets of India, pollution from fracking sand mines in Wisconsin, or islands that have simply disappeared.Go beyond the episode:Vince Beiser’s The World in a GrainRead his article on India’s black market in Wired, “The Deadly Global War for Sand”For more on how sand mining works, watch this aerial video (from a sand mine worker) of a quarry in Central TexasVisit our episode page to see photographs from Adam Ferguson, who accompanied Beiser on his visit to IndiaTune in every week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek.Subscribe: iTunes • Feedburner • Stitcher • Google Play • AcastHave suggestions for projects you’d like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! Our theme music was composed by Nathan Prillaman. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Vince Beiser (@vincelb) is an award-winning journalist specializing in social issues, technology, and the places they intersect. His latest book is The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization. What We Discuss with Vince Beiser: Sand is to cities what flour is to bread -- without sand, civilization as we know it could not exist. Sand is at the core of our daily lives, used to make concrete, glass, asphalt, silicon chips in laptops, and smartphones. Usable sand is a finite, endangered resource and desert sand doesn't work for construction -- in fact, Dubai imports sand from Australia. There's a black market for sand, and there are sand pirates -- it's a resource over which people literally die. Nearly 70% of sand on Earth is quartz (one of the most common minerals on earth), and the cycle to create new sand takes 200 million years. And much more... Sign up for Six-Minute Networking -- our free networking and relationship development mini course -- at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! Full show notes and resources can be found here.

Someday soon, you might be finally able to count all the grains of sand on the beach, because there might be no beaches—and no sand—left. With the global population and its attendant consumption booming, we’re running out of sand in our quest to build larger cities and better smartphones. This essential resource, so easy to overlook, ranks just below air and water on a global scale of how much we use. But as journalist Vince Beiser explains in his new book, The World in a Grain, its over-extraction is harming us, whether in the form of murder in the black markets of India, pollution from fracking sand mines in Wisconsin, or islands that have simply disappeared.Go beyond the episode:Vince Beiser’s The World in a GrainRead his article on India’s black market in Wired, “The Deadly Global War for Sand”For more on how sand mining works, watch this aerial video (from a sand mine worker) of a quarry in Central TexasVisit our episode page to see photographs from Adam Ferguson, who accompanied Beiser on his visit to IndiaTune in every week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek.Subscribe: iTunes • Feedburner • Stitcher • Google Play • AcastHave suggestions for projects you’d like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! Our theme music was composed by Nathan Prillaman.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Learn how to stay sane at work by taking a microvacation; an easy trick for building the best savings plan; and why sand is one of the most important materials in human civilization — and why we're running out of it. In this podcast, Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer discuss the following stories from Curiosity.com — and learn about sand from author Vince Beiser — to help you get smarter and learn something new in just a few minutes: To Stay Sane at Work, Try Taking Microvacations To Build the Best Savings Plan, Think of the Present Instead of the Future Pick up Vince Beiser's book, “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization,” on Amazon. It's free with your Audible trial, and if you choose to make a purchase using this link, then Curiosity gets a share of the sale! If you love our show and you're interested in hearing full-length interviews, then please considersupporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive episodes and access to our archives as soon as you become a Patron! Learn about these topics and more onCuriosity.com, and download our5-star app for Android and iOS. Then, join the conversation onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram. Plus: Amazon smart speaker users, enable ourAlexa Flash Briefing to learn something new in just a few minutes every day! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that, even though sand the most used building materials in world, the sand in the desert is more or less useless? Did you know there is a serious black market trade in sand in certain parts of the world, and that people are murdered to protect that black market trade? This week we learn just how much of our modern world is built with, on, and using sand. We spend the hour with award-winning journalist and author Vince Beiser, talking about his new book "The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed...

What's Trending--The Hot Topics of the day. Tech Talk has an outdoor smart power strip. Matt Granite has a skin care deal. Vince Beiser Talks about his book "The World In A Grain". Councilman Mike Polensek talks about the CPP power outage and the dirt bike fiasco.

Sand is the most consumed natural resources on earth, incorporated in building materials throughout the world. But, are we endanger of depleting this resource? On this episode, Vince Beiser discussed the story of sand.

After water and air, sand is the natural resource that we consume more than any other--even more than oil. Every concrete building and paved road on Earth, every computer screen and silicon chip, is made from sand. From Egypt's pyramids to the Hubble telescope, from the world's tallest skyscraper to the sidewalk below it, from Chartres' stained-glass windows to your iPhone, sand shelters us, empowers us, engages us, and inspires us. It's the ingredient that makes possible our cities, our science, our lives--and our future.And, incredibly, we're running out of it.