Mad Like Tesla

Book excerpt: An “illuminating and important” look at the scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who are working to save us from catastrophic climate change (New York Journal of Books). Nikola Tesla was considered a mad scientist by the society of his time for predicting global warming more than a hundred years ago. Today, we need visionaries like him to find sources of alternative energy and solutions to this looming threat. Mad Like Tesla takes an in-depth look at climate issues, introducing thinkers and inventors such as Louis Michaud, a retired refinery engineer who claims we can harness the energy of man-made tornadoes, and a professor and a businessman who are running a company that genetically modifies algae so it can secrete ethanol naturally. These individuals and their unorthodox methods are profiled through first-person interviews, exploring the social, economic, financial, and personal obstacles that they continue to face. Also covered is the existing state of green energy technologies—such as solar, wind, biofuels, smart grid, and energy storage—offering a ray of hope against a backdrop of dread. “Hamilton makes complex technologies comprehensible.” —Library Journal