The world in a grain
by Vince Beiser · first published 2018
83% recommend17% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Covers the history, uses, and growing scarcity of sand, showing how a mundane material underpins construction and civilization. Suggested for readers curious about everyday resources and their hidden importance.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The gripping story of the most important overlooked commodity in the world -- sand -- and the crucial role it plays in our lives. 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 the smartphone in your hand, sand shelters us, connects us, and inspires us. It's the ingredient that ma
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…looking for synergies like that, such as covering eroding beaches, breakwaters, etc with olivine. If you are interested in sand in construction and otherwise, I highly suggest you check out the book The World in a Grain. The importance of sand in our everyday life blew my mind. I mean the device you are using right now to access this website, has a processor made out of silicon sand, the screen is made of quartz sand.…
on “Project Vesta – Mitigating climate change with green sand beaches” ↗If you want to read more on the topic, I enjoyed the book "The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization", by Vince Beiser (no affiliation)
on “Time is running out for sand” ↗…issue: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_theft * https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/jul/01/riddle-of-the... * https://www.wired.com/2015/03/illegal-sand-mining/ A good book on the topic is The World in a Grain by Vince Beiser (ISBN 9780399576447) * https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/537681/the-world-in... * https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/36950075-the-world-in...
on “The messy business of sand mining explained” ↗Good book on the topic is The World in a Grain by Vince Beiser: > 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…
on “Using plastic waste to help solve sand shortages” ↗For a good book on the non-renewable (on human time scales) resource of sand, see The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization by Vince Beiser: > The World in a Grain is the compelling true story of the hugely important and diminishing natural resource that grows more essential…
on “Crime rings trafficking sand” ↗Yes, I was just quickly paraphrasing the major takeaways on the impact of sand and its importance in our lives from the excellent book I referenced, The World in a Grain. Here is an excerpt for you and any others interested: "He rummages through his knapsack, then pulls out a plastic sandwich bag full of white powder. “I hope we don’t get arrested,” he says. “Someone…
on “Project Vesta – Mitigating climate change with green sand beaches” ↗If you’re curious about the value of sand there is an awesome book named “The World in a Grain” which covers the use, history, and scarcity of sand. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/537681/the-world-in...
on “Ghost ships, crop circles, and soft gold: A GPS mystery in Shanghai” ↗The book mentioned, The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization by Vince Beiser: > The World in a Grain is the compelling true story of the hugely important and diminishing natural resource that grows more essential…
on “Is the world really running out of sand?” ↗