In Harvesting the Biosphere, Vaclav Smil provides a comprehensive analysis of humanity’s impact on the natural world, focusing on the extraction of resources from the biosphere. Smil examines the scale of human consumption—spanning agriculture, forestry, and fossil fuels—and its effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. This episode explores Smil’s meticulous research, offering listeners a deeper understanding of the balance between human progress and environmental sustainability, and the pressing need for mindful resource management.