The Wizard and the Prophet: Science and the Future of Our Planet

Charles C. Mann's The Wizard and the Prophet pitches two influential yet little-known scientists against each other in a race against time. As Earth braces for a population surge to ten billion in the next forty years, mankind faces daunting challenges of food, water, energy, and climate change. William Vogt, the ‘prophet’ and intellectual forefather of the environmental movement, warns us of impending doom if we use more than the planet has to give. Meanwhile, Norman Borlaug, the ‘wizard’ of modern agricultural science believed that science will continue to rise to the challenges we face. Mann tells the stories of these scientists and their crucial influence on today’s debates as his story ranges from Mexico to India, across continents and oceans and from the past and the present to the future. Brilliantly original in concept, wryly observant and deeply researched, The Wizard and the Prophet is essential reading for fans of Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens. The Wizard and the Prophet is a revelation for keen followers of climate change, global warming, and human geography – challenging us to determine our survival in an overcrowded world. 'Does the earth’s finite carrying capacity mean economic growth has to stop? That momentous question is the subject of Charles Mann’s brilliant book.' – Wall Street Journal