Invention and Innovation: A Brief History of Hype and Failure HARDCOVER

Description: FASTSHIPPING HASSLEFREERETURNS SECUREPAYMENT EXCELLENTSERVICE Description From the New York Times-bestselling author, a new volume on the history of human ingenuity—and its attendant breakthroughs and busts.The world is never finished catching up with Vaclav Smil. In his latest and perhaps most readable book, Invention and Innovation, the prolific author—a favorite of Bill Gates—pens an insightful and fact-filled jaunt through the history of human invention. Impatient with the hype that so often accompanies innovation, Smil offers in this book a clear-eyed corrective to the overpromises that accompany everything from new cures for diseases to AI. He reminds us that even after we go quite far along the invention-development-application trajectory, we may never get anything real to deploy. Or worse, even after we have succeeded by introducing an invention, its future may be marked by underperformance, disappointment, demise, or outright harm.Drawing on his vast breadth of scientific and historical knowledge, Smil explains the difference between invention and innovation. He then looks at three different types of inventions.Inventions that failed to dominate as promised: Airships Nuclear fission Supersonic flight Inventions that turned disastrous: Leaded gasoline DDT Chlorofluorocarbons Inventions we have long been promised (and that would be highly beneficial): Travel in vacuum (hyperloop) Nitrogen-fixing cereals Nuclear fusion Finally, he offers a “wish list” of inventions that we most urgently need to confront the staggering challenges of the twenty-first century.Filled with engaging examples and pragmatic approaches, this book is a sobering account of the folly that so often attends human ingenuity—and how we can, and must, better align our expectations with reality. Publisher ‏ : ‎ The MIT Press (February 14, 2023) Language ‏ : ‎ English Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 232 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0262048051 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0262048057 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.31 x 0.89 x 9.31 inches SHIPPING Shipping All items fast! The majority of orders are shipped using USPS Priority Mail and UPS Ground if requested. There is an option at checkout to add a Signature of Delivery for extra security & peace of mind. This means you need to sign for your parcel. If you are not home, the courier will take it to your local post office for collection. We also offer expedited shipments upon request, we will quote the shipment and let you know of the estimated cost. If agreed we will process the order and add the shipping charge to your invoice. All items ordered by 3 PM EST will be shipped same day. We also are partnered with Ebay using the Global Shipping Program. We will ship internationally to any country that is a part of the program. "International buyers – please note: Import duties, taxes, and charges aren't included in the item price or postage cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. "Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be, prior to bidding or buying." Alaska/Hawaii/Puerto Rico charge extra : $30.00 Canada $50.00 *Additional taxes may apply Every item we ship is fully insured. You will receive a shipment confirmation and tracking number as soon as your item leaves our facility. We offer same day shipment for orders submitted before 2:00 pm EST. Should an item arrive with damaged packaging, or if the item was damaged during shipment, you must contact us within 24 hours of receiving your item. You can email us during our business hours at (email address). In the case of return due to a manufacturer defect, the cost of return shipping will be free. All items must be returned within 30 days of the purchase ship date. Please note that we do not refund the cost of shipping for returns and exchanges. If you received free shipping, the cost that we paid to ship the item to you will not be refunded. PAYMENT We accepts the following methods of online payment: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, PayPal, and store credit. We also accept wire transfers on orders above $2,000.00 as well as certified checks. Please cantact us for this type of payment. Security RETURNS If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase you may return your item within 30 days from the ship date. A full refund will be issued only if: The item is never worn. The item's plastic protectors and stickers are all intact and have not been removed. There have been no sizing changes. Please note that we do not refund the cost of shipping. The price to ship your return will be deducted from the total refund amount based on the original shipping method. If you received free shipping, the cost that we paid to ship the watch to you will not be refunded. Any items being returned to us must be clearly labeled with the authorization number given to you by our customer service team. Please include the reason for your return within the return package. Packages that are shipped collect or improperly labeled will be refused. Your item(s) must be return shipped through a courier that can be tracked such as UPS, FedEx or USPS with insurance and delivery prepaid. The customer is liable for any damages or lost packages during transit to us. Any items returned to us may be subject to a 20% restocking fee. The refund price (after restocking and shipping fees are deducted) will be issued to you via the original method of payment for your purchase. FEEDBACK Our all customers are 100% satisfied. If you have any issues with your orders, please contact us to resolve it. We are happy to help you EXCHANGE CANCELLATION You need to send us an order cancellation request through eBay before the shipment made. once we have the request, we will approve it from our end and grant your full refund back to your account. CONTACT US Please send us an email via ebay. We will reply within 24 hours. Copyright © | All Rights Reserved

Price: 20.59 USD

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2025-01-26T21:25:17.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.99 USD