How Energy Built Civilization, and Could Destroy It episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 25, 2026 · 22 MIN

How Energy Built Civilization, and Could Destroy It

from The Next Big Idea Daily · host Next Big Idea Club

We've never had more power at our fingertips, yet we're constantly anxious about running out of it — in our phones, our grids, our planet. From the first fires that built civilization to the mineral supply chains fueling the next industrial era, Roland Ennos and Vince Beiser reveal that the story of human progress has always been a story about energy and the staggering costs of controlling it. Sponsored By: Shopify — Start your $1/month trial at ⁠shopify.com/daily⁠ Notion — Try Custom Agents now at ⁠notion.com/daily

We've never had more power at our fingertips, yet we're constantly anxious about running out of it — in our phones, our grids, our planet. From the first fires that built civilization to the mineral supply chains fueling the next industrial era, Roland Ennos and Vince Beiser reveal that the story of human progress has always been a story about energy and the staggering costs of controlling it. Sponsored By: Shopify — Start your $1/month trial at ⁠shopify.com/daily⁠ Notion — Try Custom Agents now at ⁠notion.com/daily

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How Energy Built Civilization, and Could Destroy It

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This episode was published on March 25, 2026.

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We've never had more power at our fingertips, yet we're constantly anxious about running out of it — in our phones, our grids, our planet. From the first fires that built civilization to the mineral supply chains fueling the next industrial era,...

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