I've recently read"The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World" and want to hear what all of you think the answer is, because I feel like the book was missing something in its thesis and I am not very sure what that is.

  • captcha [any]
    ·
    11 months ago

    Steam power is insane outside of boating. Before all the work in your society must come from potential energy stored in food. After steam you could get free work out of rocks.

    • thisismyrealname [he/him]
      ·
      11 months ago

      i hate to be a pedant but wind and water were also good power sources prior to steam

      • captcha [any]
        ·
        11 months ago

        True but they couldn't scale on-demand as steam can. Still can't, but energy storage is the solution now.